SONY ERICSSON OPEN

April 1, 2008

Venus Williams

MIAMI, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Particularly considering that your sister won earlier, is this extra
disappointing?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm always happy for Serena to win. It would have been
obviously very exciting for me to win, too, but just didn't happen.

Q. Looked like the conditions were a little bit tough out there, Venus. I
know you're very used to playing here but it looked like the balls were
sailing and wind was swirling; was that a factor?
VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, it wasn't -- it can be worse here. I was actually
pretty happy with the conditions.
I definitely don't blame any conditions on my loss.

Q. Can you talk about your performance tonight? You looked pretty frustrated
out there obviously by the end.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, she played well. Just felt like I stepped slow and a
little bit, little bit off. I just didn't have the answers today, and she
played well.

Q. What was your coach's advice between sets?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't even remember now. Yeah, I don't know.

Q. Is it helpful, or does it make it more difficult?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, it's helpful. I prefer to be on my own out there. I
like the soloness of it all, if that's even a word.

Q. Did you talk to Serena after her match?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I saw her. I told her, Good match. I was happy for her
and proud of her, and she was playing the way she can play.

Q. Have you talked to her since yours?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.

Q. What did she say?
VENUS WILLIAMS: She just said I played well. I definitely feel like I did a
lot of good things, but I just had some plays that weren't so good, and
sometimes it makes a difference.

Q. How disappointing, not to get a chance to play her here again.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I mean, when I play tournaments I want to win the
tournaments, so it's not about who I get to play. It's about me getting the
title, so that's my ultimate goal.

Q. Venus, where do you go from here? How are you approaching clay court?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm going to play Amelia Island and Charleston, so I have
some tennis left in the U.S.

Q. What are you planning to play in Europe before France?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Rome. In Rome.

Q. Do you think you were pressing at all a bit out there, maybe because you
knew there was a possibility of playing your sister?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. No, I don't think I'm -- I was pressing. I play an
aggressive game anyway. I think I had more winners. I think I had a very good
first serve percentage, but I just -- I just made some plays at the wrong
time, and that's just how it was. It was close.
.