SONY ERICSSON OPEN

March 28, 2012

Venus Williams

MIAMI, FLORIDA

A. RADWANSKA/V. Williams
6-4, 6-1

THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  How are you feeling?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Oh, um, you know, it's been a great tournament.  Obviously
disappointed.  Would have liked to have gone further, but, um, it's a great
start.

Q.  You looked very tired out there.  Was this a combination of your ailment
and conditioning, do you think?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  I don't have a condition problem.  Let's definitely get that
straight.  I don't have a conditioning problem, so let's get that straight.
I'm always fit, so...

Q.  How frustrating is it to know emotionally you know what you want to do,
and like you just said you're fit.  For your body not to be listening to your
mind, how do you deal with that?  How frustrating is it?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Um, it's just frustrating.  Um, you know, I mean, I think
out of all the matches, today was probably the one where I had the least
pressure in terms of, you know, someone who was going to maybe hit winners on
me or pressure me.
So, you know, it was disappointing not to be able to feel my best today.  I
was able to keep it close in the first set and try different strategies, but
it was definitely a mental battle, and today I didn't conquer the mental part
of it.

Q.  Seemed like control of the net was a big thing throughout the match.
 When you were able to get there on your own terms you were doing well.  When
she dragged you in, it went her way most of the time.  Was that something
that you thought was a turning point in this match?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Um, I just --I was trying to get to the net to shorten the
points, so just to change the strategy.  Even when you get to the net, it
takes, you know, definitely good footwork and positioning.  You have to be
100%.
I feel good at the net, definitely, and confident.  I don't know if I missed
an overhead this week.  I love being up there, but it wasn't the answer today.

Q.  Talk about what a good start this tournament is for you.  Can you roll
all these wins into Charleston next week and beyond that?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  I mean, I think I learned a lot from this tournament
in terms of how to prepare and what works.  Um, you know, I just have to be
there mentally every day.
So I have to, you know, be ready to give a lot.

Q.  What's your schedule beyond Charleston?  How many clay tournaments are
you planning on?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Right now I'm just thinking about Charleston.  That's it.
 So I'm not really thinking about anything beyond that.

Q.  Points are obviously an issue between now and the French.  Are you
thinking you'll play a fair amount of clay court tournaments?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  I mean, today is a big move for me.  The clay will be a lot
slower, so I'm going to have to play smart and patiently, you know, get some
wins.  We'll see.

Q.  What went into that strategy of going to the net early in the points?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Well, I think the first few games I just got caught up into
many long points, which wasn't what I wanted to do today.  So I tried to
change my strategy.
Unfortunately I made too many errors, and didn't really --couldn't really
make as many shots as I wanted today.  So that definitely played a role in
the loss.

Q.  She's not a really easy player to play.  Is it hard to play a player like
her?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  She's a great player.  I didn't have a good day.  So, you
know, I just didn't feel like --unfortunately I just couldn't press the issue.
She's a great player.  I don't feel like she did anything special.  I just
couldn't --I couldn't get myself to do it today.

Q.  You said you weren't there mentally today.  Is it the effects of all the
other matches that you've had?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  No.  It's just that, you know, if I'm not feeling my best,
then it becomes mental and I have to fight, and you have to fight and fight
and fight.
Today I just --I didn't conquer it mentally.  I have to be there mentally
more than the next player.

Q.  When you got down 4-1 in the second you played a real tough game there.
 Did you still think you could get back in the thing?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  I mean, I have to keep trying.  I want to get to the
next round.
I tried.  Then she played a great service game.  She hit a lot of great
returns.  I think that was her best game of the match, really.  It was the
best time to play a great game for her.  She did well.

Q.  Did you wake up feeling fatigued today, or did you feel, you know, as you
were driving here and getting here, did you know it was going to be a
physical challenge just to...
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Oh, my God.  You know, that's a good question.  (Smiling.)
I woke up in a coma today.  (Smiling.)  I was like, Oh, no.
Yeah, so I think there are things I could have done better to prepare, and I
learned a lot, you know, prepare for today.
I definitely learned, you know, what works better for me.  You know, if I can
have 10% more, then that makes a big difference.   So, yeah.

Q.  Considering it was your first tournament, you had some tough matches out
there.  Isn't it something positive?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I mean, I could have had this result on day one.
 (Smiling.)
Yeah, like I said, in a lot of ways I don't go out with expectations, but I
know I can play great tennis.  It's a weird place to be at when you go out
there.
Um, it's definitely an interesting position, but I would like to have more.
 I always want more.  But like I said, this is definitely a start.  I've
definitely learned a lot about, you know, ways maybe I could prepare, um,
during the tournament.

Q.  Is she a tougher player than she looks?  She's so defensive and she
doesn't give a lot of pace.  Her serve doesn't have a lot of juice on it.
 But does she still pose different kinds of problems?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  I think with someone like her, you really have to be
consistent and move forward.  Typically I like playing someone like her.  I
feel like I have all day till I feel like moving forward.
Normally it's been a really great matchup for me, but today she had more
answers.

Q.  When you talk about learning, that you learned a lot about how to
prepare, something you maybe didn't do enough what you wanted to do, can you
elaborate on that?  What do you mean by that?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Um, no, I mean, the night --night before I was up until like
4:00 kind of recovering from the match and all the things that you have to do
after.
So the next day I think I should have rested more probably.  I think I was
thinking, oh, I'll never have-- you know, after a while you start to feel
like maybe everything's behind you.
I definitely learned maybe if you're doing something right, don't change it.
 (Smiling.)

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