U.S. OPEN

August 27, 2018

Venus Williams

New York, NY, USA

V. WILLIAMS/S. Kuznetsova

6-3, 5-7, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Tough in the end. What are you most pleased with?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, obviously winning the match. I think that's what I'm
most pleased with. I think I stayed pretty aggressive throughout the match,
and that's how I want to play the tournament.

Q. How difficult were the weather conditions out there?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think that the stadium definitely kept a lot of the
heat in, but it was also hot outside of the stadium. It was definitely
interesting match for the US Open.

Q. Is that a situation where living in Florida helps?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think so. But I also train around 7 a.m. to miss most
of the heat. Maybe I should start training at noon (smiling).

Q. Question about the draw. I suppose you know what would happen if you win
your next match and your sister wins her two matches. Feeling of playing so
early at a major, is that something that is a disappointment when you found
out that's a possibility?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, that's the draw. I mean, I've had an interesting draw.
Obviously the next match, my opponent is not going to roll over, as well as
today. That's really my focus. Hopefully we'll both be there.

Q. Goerges played Serena tough at Wimbledon. Played you tough, as well. How
do you prepare for someone that hits that hard?
VENUS WILLIAMS: That's her game style. I definitely have some pace, too. I'm
definitely going to go out there with some weapons. I definitely feel like
can I hold my own. Just want to continue to play the game I'm playing.

Q. The reaction of the crowd to you now, do you embrace that? That wasn't
always there when you played at America's Grand Slam.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, of course it's wonderful when the crowd is behind you.
I experienced that much later in my career than I guess is typical. But I
guess it's wonderful to have people on your side. You can't go out there --
and you have to do it for yourself as well. If the crowd is with you, it's
wonderful to do it for them, too.

Q. At Wimbledon, the top 10 women's seeds went out before the quarterfinals,
had never happened before. Here today Simona Halep, the top seed, lost. First
time that's happened in the first round at the US Open. What do you make of
all these results, what some would label at upsets?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, there are no easy matches. Everyone is playing well.
The higher you're ranked, the more that people come for you. It's just a
chance for them to just hit out. They always play well against you, all the
top players. I don't know that they maintain that level, otherwise you
probably would see them more often. But when you get out there, they come for
you.

There are no easy matches.

Q. What do you think about having the 25-second clock displayed prominently
on the court?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I've been playing with it all summer. I think most players
pretty much play within it. Obviously there's a few times it gets close, and
the crowd gets loud, your opponent might be at the towel. I think most people
make the clock. If sometimes you get to zero, there's usually a reason for
it, there's a delay for whatever reason.

Q. What are your thoughts about the French Tennis Federation's comments about
Serena's outfit?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know what his comments were, but the outfit was
absolutely fabulous.

Q. He had a comment about having respect for the game.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, Serena has done so much for tennis, so much for tennis,
so much for people in the world. I think that's the only focus that we can
focus on.

Q. Is there anything you like to do when you're in New York that maybe you
don't get a chance to do in other cities?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't do enough here. I really don't.

Q. Anything you're looking to doing this time around?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Winning matches. That's all that matters.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports