PILOT PEN TENNIS


August 22, 2002


Venus Williams

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT


WTA TOUR: Questions, please.

Q. You are happy to have this match out of the way and hopefully kind of day
out of your system?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I suppose. I think today was like all the other days.

Q. I mean in terms the unsteady play on both sides of the net, kind of a lot
of unforced errors.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah, but I was going for a lot more shots and trying
different things, so at one point I did see where my unforced error count was
getting little high and it makes it a lot more difficult of course when I am
giving away those easy shots, easy points. Especially the last two games of
the match I tried to clean it up some.

Q. How much did you know about your opponent coming into?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I have seen her play before, so I did -- I didn't know how
she played but in the warm-up of course I took a look at her game but just
like any other player on Tour I respect her as a player and I know I have to
go out there and play just not going to give it to me.

Q. Is it hard to get fired up for a player ranked that low and fairly unknown?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Not at all. This is her big chance to make it happen and to
gain points and to make a name. She has a lot of things that can go well for
her getting a win over me. I have no problem getting ready for these kind of
matches.

Q. You had to learn about her game as the match went on since you had never
played her before. What about her game may have surprised you?

VENUS WILLIAMS: She has a good serve. I think she has a really good attitude
on the court as far as giving her best and trying very hard. She came in a
lot even though I was passing her, she just kept coming which is a good thing
because there was a lot of opportunities at the net.

Q. You mentioned outside on the court looking to get back to No. 1. Can you
talk about that little rivalry right now with Serena and how you want to get
back to No. 1; what it's going to take from this point on?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, just a few tournament wins, sometime in the fall, but
that's a few weeks from now. My main focus is the Pilot Pen right now.

Q. Do you feel going into the Open better prepared than Serena?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, I don't know. Maybe. (Laughs).

Q. That means yes?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I really don't know. So... Haven't been really thinking about
that.

Q. You are probably not thinking about this but I will try anyhow, Serena and
you, doubles, have you decided yet?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I asked her the other day - I said, are you
playing doubles. She said, I don't know. Are you? Yeah, that meant kind of, I
don't know, after that we went on to talk about other things.

Q. Because this is just a good warmup for the U.S. open, courts are similar
and the stadiums are similar, have you ever asked Serena about possibly
playing doubles here?

VENUS WILLIAMS: To be honest I don't consider it a warmup. I really think
that the events on our Tour are very important. I am here because I like to
be here not because I am trying get a tune-up for the US Open. If I am not
ready for the US Open after all these years then I am not going to be ready
just because of this tournament so I am here because I like being here and I
like to support Tour events.

Q. Over the years what have you noticed about New Haven as a city, its
character and what do you like about it; dislike about it perhaps?

VENUS WILLIAMS: So many nice restaurants. That's the first part, really big
variety. I never really get passed the hotel doors. Especially this year, I
have been really stagnant. I don't know why. Been wanting to relax because --
I didn't relax enough when I was at home, so been really relaxing.

Q. You don't get out and --

VENUS WILLIAMS: Not as much. Like last year I went -- not last year the year
before. Well, previous years I went to the shops and I went to the
restaurants every night, and that kind of thing.

Q. What was your impression on the character of the city?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think it's nice. I think it has the feel of a modern city
but yet kind of an old-town feeling. It's not too big and you are kind of can
get to different places very quickly. It has a little bit of everything.

Q. Some reason you don't consider this a warmup because you have won this
three years in a row so it's your tournament?

VENUS WILLIAMS: If I wanted to warm-up best thing for me would be to stay
home and practice. That's what I like to do before I am playing in a huge
event. But I just like the tournament. Anne keeps getting me to come back an
so that's why I am here.

Q. When you win a tournament three times in a row, does it make you feel
different while you are competing in it? Do you feel some ownership over the
tournament and it's yours, win or lose?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I won a couple three in a row before. And it's
just nice to know that you haven't lost recently, it's not as much fun losing
so I know when I come here, I can expect a few wins.

Q. It seemed like for several years there when you were younger about the
only thing that held you back were these injuries that you would have to deal
with every now and then. How does it feel this year to apparently to be
injury-free from start to finish, meanwhile you look at some of your other
rivals there and they are the ones that have been getting hurt this year?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I started out early. I think that main thing is I grew
very fast so my body had to catch up with my height so I had lots of injuries
and plus I really pound the ball and I run hard and I do all kind of things
so when I was younger that was tough and still I have injuries. But they
haven't kept me off the Tour. So that has been nice this year.

Q. Would you say there's any particular aspect of your game that is much
better now than it was when you first came here three years ago?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think just mentally I am a lot better. I remember when I
first came here in '99 I won the tournament but I was really struggling to
keep it under control and as a result the US Open, I kind of lost control too
as far as not winning the matches that I should have won, but since that time
been able to improve on that.

Q. Does your sister ever tell you I want to play New Haven next year? Does
she ever kind of kid you and say oh, no, it's my turn to play here next year,
you play somewhere else?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. We don't really talk a lot about tournaments and tennis.
Not really.

Q. Would you be hesitant to have her in a tournament like this since it's so
close to the Open or would that not factor in?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No.

Q. What were you doing on the computer this morning? Your father said you
were up early on the computer.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I couldn't get on line today. I had some -- some important he
mails, (laughs) and so I am going to have to use the facilities here. But
really that's all I was doing. Then I did my hair.

Q. Are you suggesting that -- I think he was thinking that you might win the
US Open this year?

VENUS WILLIAMS: That's my plan. (Laughs) Going into every tournament my plan
is to take it home. It doesn't happen every time, and basically only thing I
am guaranteed is a first round match and I am not guaranteed that second one,
so I have got to fight to get just to the second round and hopefully the
tournament win.

Q. You mentioned you enjoy the restaurants in this area. Anything else about
the New Haven area that peaks your interests and any other stops on Tour that
you particularly enjoy for stuff away from the court?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Really it just depends on how many events I am playing and
when I get to the tournament and depends on a lot of things. I haven't done
that much here as I should.

Q. How about in years past?

VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, actually, believe it or not, I have to do like a
lot of interviews and, you know, sponsor events and that kind of thing, so
once you juggle your schedule with that and of course practice, can't forget
that, then a little bit of training and a little bit of ice, a little bit of
the gym, by that time you just spend the rest of your time relaxing.

Q. How about a little shopping?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I am over that. I don't need it anymore.

Q. You got everything?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I have got everything. Please believe.