US OPEN

September 7, 1999

Venus Williams

U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, Flushing Meadows, New York

WTA: Questions for Venus?

Q. Was the wind out there at all a factor for you tonight?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Actually, I had one shot that was definitely going out and
the wind blew it in. That was a good thing. I think the serve, it was a
little bit, because it kind of blows your toss around. But it was okay.
Actually, every match I've played, I had to play in the wind except for one.
So I was ready for it.

Q. Three US Opens, you've made the semifinals in each one. How is your game
different this year at this US Open from the other two?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I'm definitely a better player. I've had better
results, more tournament wins. A lot of things that happened to me in
between. I think that's some of the main difference. And I'm looking forward
to trying to do better this year. Last year I was unable to go past the
semifinals. But this year, I'm looking forward to doing better.

Q. What is it specifically about your game that you think can get you beyond
the semifinals this year?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think I'm serving better than I did last year. I'm moving
well. I'm returning well, also. And I think, also, I'm playing the
breakpoints a lot better.

Q. You were sitting in this chair a couple days ago. You said you've looked
at a lot of other players, try and look and watch what they're doing?

VENUS WILLIAMS: There's a lot of great coverage on TV. I can see everything.

Q. What is it about Martina Hingis' game this Open that you've seen that's
made it so effective?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, she's really been able to have some easy matches. She's
been not giving away too many points. She's really been capitalizing on her
opportunities. Not making herself work too hard. That's some of the best
tennis you can play.

Q. Barbara said that Martina gave her a couple pointers to how to play you
before she went out there. I guess it didn't work. Are you happy about that?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I think you can get all the pointers you want against
me. But unless I give the match to you, a lot of unforced errors, it's going
to be tough to win.

Q. Do you think Martina was trying to take you out early there or what?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean Barbara Schett is Austrian. Martina is Czech. I'm sure
they're good friends. They hit a lot. Maybe, yeah. (Laughter).

Q. You mention you had a chance to go up 3-0 in the second set there and you
didn't. You said that's something you'd like to be doing now and get that
over with now. Does it concern you at all, does it bother you that you
weren't able to do that when you wanted to? Does that mean anything?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I would definitely -- I wanted to capitalize on the
opportunities quick. When I get up 40-Love, just go ahead, take the game, sit
down at the changeover and get my break. There's no need to struggle back and
forth. In that game, I believe I had about six breakpoints. In the end, it
doesn't help, especially for your future matches, if you don't close out on
those. I'm looking forward to doing better in my next match.

Q. Does it concern you at all? Are you angry at yourself for not having done
that? Does it --?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I discipline myself by eating a few doughnuts on my next
match. I won't be able to run, and I'll know better next time.

Q. How are you feeling, Venus? You had the flu?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm feeling good. It's gone, and I feel great.

Q. Did you give it to anybody? You got it from Serena?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I hope not. No, I don't think so.

Q. Venus, you and Martina are two of the most confident players, it seems,
every time you play anybody. When you play each other, what are the keys to
the match? And is there an edge in terms of confidence for either player?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm not sure if there's an edge. We both go out there knowing
we're going to have to play good tennis. We both go out there ready to play.
And we both have different games. So there's different things that we
capitalize on each other. So... I'm ready to go. I'm sure she's ready to go.
Who knows, she's probably on the practice court right now. (Laughter).

Q. What are the keys for you to be successful against her?

VENUS WILLIAMS: The key for me is definitely to abandon all unforced errors.
If I can't get rid of those, then that will be working against myself more or
less. So, in order not to play her and myself, I will have to stop making
errors.

Q. If she's playing her best and you're playing your best, who wins?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Me.

Q. Why?

VENUS WILLIAMS: If I'm playing my best, it's tough, guys. Come on. (Laughing).

Q. Venus, Pete says about Andre, there's something about playing Andre that
lifts his game another level. When you play Martina, does she push your game
to a higher level? Or really, does it not really matter who you're playing?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I definitely think so. When you go out there and you're
playing someone who plays well, either you go to another level or accept a
loss. So, I think it's a -- definitely a true statement that when you play
someone on a higher level or someone who plays well, it brings out in the
best in you. You have to play better. You have to as a competitor.

Q. Does she do that more than anyone else because she's No. 1 when you play
her? Or because of certain volleys in her game? Or is it only somebody like
Serena who pushes you?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Even some players who are having a great day can push you on
a certain day; they might be a good competitor. We know Martina is a good
competitor; doesn't like to lose. So we both are going to go out there and
take the W.

Q. How would you characterize the rivalry that's kind of developed between
you and Martina?

VENUS WILLIAMS: How would I characterize it? (Laughing). I don't know. You
tell me. I'm just out there trying to win some matches every now and then.

Q. Do you think there's a rivalry that's developed between you and Martina?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I guess. Whatever you say. Just depends on what
the papers write. If they write about Martina and I, there's a rivalry.

Q. She said today that she thinks there's more pressure on you in your match
because you're an American and this is the US Open. Do you agree, disagree?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. Just playing. Trying to do well. I've never won here
before, so for me, I'm trying to get a title. And for her, I guess trying to
get another title. She hasn't won here for a couple of years, since '97,
when, unfortunately, I became her victim. (Laughter).

Q. You said your serve is working particularly well now. What's really good
about it?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think right now I'm really just hitting the ball well, as
far as I know exactly what it takes for me to get the ball in. If I don't do
that, then I know the next one, "Hey, Venus, you have to keep your head up or
throw the toss up a little higher." That's mostly what it is, I think.

Q. You look like you had some that were 97, then back down to 60. Were you
purposely changing the speeds of it (serve)?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Sometimes. Sometimes, like in the second serve, I add too
much spin and the space goes down and then I mishit it. I have to take some
of the spin off.

Q. When you've been successful against Martina and you've won three of the
last seven, so it's been pretty close to even in those last seven matches,
what's been the key in terms of adjusting in the middle of a match? Have you
had to make adjustments, and are your smarts as a player really coming out
when you play her?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Sure. I made adjustments, and, yeah.

Q. What are some of those adjustments that you've had to make?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Stop making unforced errors in the middle of the third set is
the main adjustment that I made. Because when you give the match away, it
just makes it so easy for your opponent.

Q. Does losing to Hingis bother you more than losing to another opponent?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't like losing. It bothers me. It bothers me so much
that I start working hard, and I don't lose the next time. But this time, I
should start working hard before I have to lose.

Q. Anything that she can do that can surprise you, do you think? Or do you
pretty much know all aspects of her game?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, she's been on the Tour a long time. Of course, everyone
adds things to their game. But I think that sometimes she comes up with some
great shots. But as with anyone who's in the top position, you come up with
some great shots in different positions. So you just have to be ready for
that and move on to the next point.

Q. Anke Huber said today she thought Martina Hingis was probably the smartest
player on Tour. Would you agree with that?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that everyone has to capitalize on their abilities,
and she probably -- she might be able to, but she probably can't hit the ball
as hard as, say, myself or Serena or maybe even Anke. So she has to use the
other things, because if she's not smarter, it's most likely she'll get
overpowered. So she has to use it.