TMS - INDIAN WELLS, WOMEN


March 15, 2001


Venus Williams

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA


MODERATOR: Questions for Venus.

Q. I saw what happened out there. What was the name of the trainer, I saw you
went to her and talked immediately? What did she tell you?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't quite understand.

Q. While you were practicing.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I was just doing my best to warm my knee up, to stretch, to
do what I could to compete. She's my trainer. She knows what's best for me.

Q. What's her name?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Carey Brooks (phonetic).

Q. What did she say while you were doing the stretch?

VENUS WILLIAMS: She just said, "Stretch." I was stretching my shoulder out
and my arm, my quadriceps, a normal routine, then a little bit more.

Q. When did you first start hurting?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I've been really having some knee problems since I
played in Nice. I got a lot better. I took a week off after Nice. I've been
playing with it taped since then. You know, it's been sore. Finally got to a
point where I just couldn't continue, not confidently and not effectively.

Q. So when you went out to hit today, you just couldn't move very well?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was moving like a grandma.

Q. It's your right knee?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, my right knee.

Q. Every time you're moving to the right, you're getting a shooting pain?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm having a difficult time bending. At my height I have to,
if I want to compete well. Just stopping and changing directions. Movement is
one of my strengths. I just don't have a chance against Serena if I can't
move.

Q. Was that something that got worse as the match went on yesterday?

VENUS WILLIAMS: As my match went on yesterday?

Q. As your match went on, did your knee feel worse and worse?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I feel a lot worse after matches usually, especially if I
have to extend myself in a match, do a lot of running and bending, then I do
feel a lot worse. But yesterday, I didn't have to run and bend as much as
normally, as I would have.

Q. What have they said you need to do to get rid of it now? How long might it
take?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Just strengthening.

Q. How often?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I have to strengthen my quadriceps and my hip muscles, and
ice. I have a new pair of orthotics. You know, it's really sad because it's
kind of a setback. I used to have knee problems with my left knee. I finally
got rid of those. I thought that after Nice, you know, I was moving on.
Hopefully I'll be able to compete at the Ericsson.

Q. Did you think about just trying to get through it and get through the
pain, how much did you think about that?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Normally that's really not an option for me because I really
don't like to play through pain. I think it just makes the problem a lot
worse. You know, I did everything that I could do, different tape jobs, to be
able to play tonight, but .

Q. Why wait so long? Why wait until right before the match to make the
decision?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I made every effort to be on the court, you know, like
stretching, warming up, taping, seeing the doctor. He didn't have a magic
pill.

Q. When did you make the actual decision that you weren't going to play
tonight, how long ago?

VENUS WILLIAMS: When did I make the actual decision?

Q. Yes. At what point in time did you inform the tour that you weren't going
to play?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know what time it was. It was very close. I would say
10 after -- 10 before, maybe 15 before. I'm not sure because I didn't look at
a watch.

Q. Did you take that decision or did the doctor say, "I don't think you
should play"?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I take the decision. The doctor, he didn't know me. I
guess he didn't know what my injury was like and what I could do and what I
couldn't do. So I guess he wasn't in a position to tell me whether I could
compete or not. I've had this injury before, so I knew what I could do and
what I couldn't.

Q. Do you think you would have played had you been scheduled to play somebody
other than Serena?

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

Q. You and Serena often don't play non-Slam tournaments together. Elena
yesterday, and a number of people before her, made the charge that your dad
decides the matches. Some people putting these two things together are saying
that this was something decided within your family. What would you say to
people who would make that comment?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Everyone has their own opinion.

Q. Is that opinion a false one or otherwise?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, it's not a true opinion at all. Everyone makes their own
comments. That's how rumors get started. I guess rumors are more exciting
than the truth.

Q. And the truth is?

VENUS WILLIAMS: The truth is I'm suffering from an injury and I'm really
looking to get back for the Ericsson. Once Wimbledon comes around, the rest
of the year, I have a lot of points coming off. For me this is really the
prime time to get some points and really to move up.

Q. Is this going to keep you out of the Ericsson?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I hope not. I'm just going to ice and rest and tape
because I love playing down there, my family's down there, I live down there.
I missed it last year because of injury also. I'm going to do my utmost to be
there.

Q. In the back of your mind, you've had a problem with the other knee, now
this one, does that concern you long-term?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I just think I have to work a lot harder as far as just
strengthening weaker areas in my body. I think everyone has weaknesses.
Especially when you're playing an abusive sport like tennis, I'm more
visible, everyone has some injury they're going to deal with.

Q. Will you need surgery?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I'm not going to get surgery. I'm going to pray.

Q. Why do you think there's a perception amongst some of the other players
that when you play Serena you guys aren't always giving a hundred percent
against each other?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I have no idea.

Q. What do you say to them? Do you say, "That's not the truth. We play as
hard as we can. Whoever wins was the best woman on that day."?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't say anything to them. For me it's not an issue at
all. I don't even think for them it's an issue. I just think they come in
here and you guys ask them a question.

Q. The crowd in the grandstand was pretty vocal when they made the
announcement you weren't playing. Pretty angry response. If you never pulled
out of any tournaments before, I don't think there would be that kind of
response. Do you think you're getting a reputation with the fans as somebody
who doesn't always show up?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I don't think so. It's very disappointing for me and most
of all for the fans. I'm scheduled to be there at 6:00, and I can't. What
more can I do? I can't send Venus No. 2.

Q. I understand some are down at the ticket office asking for their money
back.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't have any money to give them back.

Q. Did you have any idea this would be the case when you finished playing
yesterday, "I might not be able to play tomorrow"?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. There's always a measure of soreness after any match.
Your back gets sore, especially if it's a tough match. If you have an injury,
you always get sore. But, no, I didn't expect this at all.

Q. After you withdrew, did you talk to your dad at all?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. He wasn't here. I think he left around a couple hours
earlier. I haven't talked to him yet.

Q. What did Serena say when you talked to her?

VENUS WILLIAMS: She started telling me something funny that happened to her.
She's supportive.

Q. What do you think your dad will say?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Nothing. Nothing at all. He just wants us to be happy and to
be healthy. That's one of the main reasons I didn't play a lot last year is
because I was just ready to come back earlier. He gave me a choice to come
back, but I just never did because I guess I felt it was better to --.

Q. He made some statements last year during the Chase that some of your
problems and Serena's were more in the mental line. Talking about TV
revenues. Do you see how this flows into questions about what you're doing?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I don't.