QATAR TOTAL OPEN

February 27, 2015

Venus Williams

DOHA, QATAR

V. AZARENKA/V. Williams
2-6, 6-2, 6-4

Q.  How close do you think you were getting back into that third set, because
you came back?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I was working at coming back.  And I think it got
pretty close, but she played a good game and congrats to her.

Q.  What was the deciding factor that switched the match?  You dominated the
first set and she took control.
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah, honestly, she just went for everything and they
landed, and sometimes that's what happens.  I don't think she played a bad
first set, but I was on top of it.  And then she literally just went for
broke.  I guess maybe she felt like she had to do that to stay into the
match.  So it was a little bit unlucky for me that all those shots landed
that she was hitting, because they were just unbelievable shots.  Usually not
all those shots land, and it was just -- sometimes you just say too good.

Q.  How do you analyze your own game today?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  I thought I played well.  I thought I served the best that I
had this tournament, and I think I had some opportunities.  I think I missed
a handful of shots, especially in the third, that would have helped me out.
 But I don't think I did bad.  I think in playing at this level I can
definitely succeed and win events.

Q.  The last four times, do you find anything has improved in that game today?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Like I said, I think she just went for it.  She just went
for everything and they landed.  It was just everything worked out for her
and it was good match for her.

Q.  Obviously disappointment just at the moment, but will you reflect
positively on this week as a whole when you look back?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah, definitely.  I mean, I felt like every player I played
just played literally at the top of their game.  It was just one of these
weeks where everybody just played amazing, and so I'm hoping that in the next
coming weeks it won't be like that.  It'll be a long year if every opponent I
play is just this much on top.  It shows a level of competition and how much
people want to win this event.

Q.  Where are you playing next?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  I'll be in Miami.  So I'm looking forward to taking a break.
 I've been on the road a long time.

Q.  But the year must have gone almost as well as you could have hoped.
 You've had a good start, haven't you?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Oh, yeah, definitely.  I think every time that I don't win a
match, I learn from it and I come back and play better.  And that's all I can
ask for.

Q.  Obviously this week has brought you back a step closer to the top-10
again.  Are rankings something that aren't as important to you as they used
to be or is that something you're focusing on?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Definitely I want to be high ranked and I enjoy it.  Who
doesn't?  I feel like I'm working hard at it.  With time I think it'll come.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports