June 25, 2006

Venus Williams

WIMBLEDON, ENGLAND


THE MODERATOR: Good morning, everybody. I'd like to present Venus Williams,
three-time Wimbledon champion, defending champion, here to answer any
questions that you want to ask. Who would like to start?

Q. Venus, when you first returned to Wimbledon, walked back into this place
for the first time, what are the emotions and memories that come back to you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I've had so many, so many. Obviously, last year was
definitely a lot of emotions, a lot of great times.
Kind of many wonderful times rolled into one. I always enjoy being here.

Q. Would you say you're more relaxed than ever before? Last year you proved
everything you had left to prove, for sure.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm not in the proving business, but I am in the business of
playing very good tennis, particularly at Wimbledon (laughter).
Am I more relaxed this year? It seems like it. But once that first round
comes around, obviously that will be the true test of really how I feel. So
far I feel very good.

Q. What is your minimum requirement this year at Wimbledon to be satisfied?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, I always love to bring home the title. When I come to a
tournament, especially Wimbledon, I feel like I'm definitely one of the main
contenders to do that. Really it's round by round, consistent tennis
throughout, and playing the best, which I meant to do last year and I'd love
to repeat this year.

Q. How much have you been on the grass?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I've been here since Wednesday. I've been on the grass as
much as possible. But this year didn't seem like as much of an adjustment.
Maybe it's the courts. Maybe it's me. I'd like to think it's me, but I won't
take any credit (smiling).

Q. Yesterday Andre Agassi announced this is his last year. What are your
thoughts and impressions of Andre both as a player and a person?
VENUS WILLIAMS: He's a great champion. He's great for the game. I admire that
he's always done things his way despite what the establishment may have said
how he should do it. Ran his own program. Other than that, he's also a great
humanitarian. And he continues to give back. That's a great example for all
of us to give back in each and every way that we can.

Q. What do you enjoy most when you watch him play?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think everyone enjoys the return of serve.

Q. The 'R' word, that "retirement" thing. You've mentioned that lately. What
does your retirement depend on and how far off in the future do you think
that will be?
VENUS WILLIAMS: For the record, the 'R' word for me means "relationship"
(smiling). I don't use the 'R' word.
I've never, ever mentioned retirement. There's nothing wrong with that 'R'
word, but there's something wrong with the other 'R' word for me at the
moment.

Q. Is the 'R' word you won't mention far off at the moment?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm definitely very, very single and I'm definitely trying to
stay that way. It's so fun. Yeah, I don't use the 'R' word (smiling).

Q. If you wound back the clock to when you were starting your career, do you
think there would have been a part of you that was surprised you're still
playing at 26, even though 26 is young? It's still a really long time to
spend on the tour.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Beautiful times. At this point, I should be at the height of
my strength and experience, and know how. That's the positivity I'm taking
out of it. Each and every match brings me closer to the level that I want to
get to.

Q. You obviously haven't been playing a lot the last few months. How much of
a concern is rustiness coming in here?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm not extremely concerned about rustiness at all. I've
played a lot of matches. This is definitely a great surface for me. A lot of
matches on the clay, as much as I could.
I feel okay actually. I feel okay.

Q. Larry Scott, head of the WTA, his plan here in the next couple of years is
to be able to manage where the players play more than he's been able to do in
the past. In other words, the tour would have a lot more impact on where the
players play than just the players wanting to go at a particular site. He's
going to probably demand the players turn up, if healthy, at the four slams
and eight or nine other major tournaments. Does that run counter to your
philosophy about wanting to play that much?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, the future of the tour is brighter every year. It's a
known fact that when, especially the top players are all together, it creates
a great product. That's really important for the sport.
Anywhere where a platform can be created where the best show up, I mean, it's
a great formula. I'm all for it.

Q. What about the prize money here? What are your thoughts on the discrepancy
between the prize money for men and women?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's very well-known how the women players feel about that.
To be honest, how a lot of the world feels about that. For us, it's not about
earning more money or becoming any more, you know, well-off; it's really
about an equality issue, about being created as equals, as human beings,
despite sex. At this point it's become really something that we represent
women around the world. We're the premiere sport for women. We would like to
empower women around the world by showing that we are willing to fight for
equality.
In that case, this has been our most productive year as far as really getting
the message out there, really being proactive. The women's players have been
very excited because that's what we asked Larry to do for a number of years
now. This is really becoming I guess the pinnacle of success on this matter.
We're really willing to keep working hard toward the goal.

Q. What will effect change here?
VENUS WILLIAMS: What will effect change?

Q. Here.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Here? I believe it's just consistency, consistency, because
we're on the side of what's right most certainly.

Q. Will that fight for equality ever lead you to consider not playing here?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Those aren't my words. Those are yours. I don't even want to
discuss it.

Q. You were asked about Fed Cup at the French Open, you just needed to think
about that a bit more. This is a very important match. Some people think it's
actually the final, even though it's the semifinals. What are your feelings
right now about playing Fed Cup against Belgium?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I really wish it was in the States, definitely.

Q. Will you play?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think I'll be playing, no. I can't play that much
tennis and stay healthy. It's a proven fact. So I don't think I'll be
playing, no.

Q. How disappointed are you that Serena can't be here?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I'd love for her to be here. It's just so much more
fun, so much more jolly, so many more good times. We're a team.
But as they say, you can't have everything. I've had her here so many years,
she's had me. You know, I think looking towards the summer, she'll be coming
back, playing obviously good tennis. It will be nice.

Q. She's getting close to being ready to play, you think?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think so, yes.

Q. One of the points that Wimbledon has made on the prize money is that men
play five sets, women play three. What is your reaction to that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, my reaction to that is that's really not the platform
that the women stand on. We don't really want to get into, you know, a
discussion on number of sets played and things like that. What we feel is
that we're equal as human beings, so we would like to be treated equally.

Q. Are you surprised it keeps raising up again, this debate about equal
money? It seems it was a battle that had been won a few years ago. Here we
are going over similar arguments.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know where that few years ago battle was being won.
Basically it's a topic that we want to be in the forefront at this point.
It's a topic that we need people to recognize, to acknowledge as something
very significant, something that in this modern age, especially at a
tournament like this, that should really not be in existence.
At this juncture, we're just doing everything we can to raise awareness. All
the players are standing together. A lot of people really, really understand
what we're talking about.

Q. What is it about Wimbledon particularly that you seem to feel that,
regardless of your preparation, you always feel like as long as you're here,
you're here to contend. What is it about this tournament that you can just
switch it on?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I really don't know. It seems like my game goes to
another level here. I don't mind, I really don't, I love it.
I think a lot of times, by the time this tournament comes around, I've gotten
a few kinks out of my game. I've had half a year to play, or in this case at
least some tournaments in the clay court season. I always come into the
tournament very positive. That's really crucial.

Q. You often don't play a lead-up grass court tournament before Wimbledon.
What is your philosophy about that? A lot of players feel like they need to
get the feel of the grass before coming here?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I like to go home after the French, recharge the battery.
Also the courts are so different at the tournaments. A lot of times it will
rain, as we know. I prefer not to have to play two matches in one day or
those kinds of things leading up. That is most certainly a possibility in
England.
I just prepare on hard courts and come over earlier. It's worked out for me
pretty well.

Q. To what extent does your playing future and how long you'll play tie to
your sister?
VENUS WILLIAMS: We haven't talked about it, but it's probably really tied. I
haven't talked about it with her, no. I can't truthfully answer that without
having her opinion first.

Q. Do you see yourself, if she decides to hang it up, continuing without her?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, it would be really sad. I don't know. I think I'd have
to be my own person obviously. I think I'd like it if we retired together.
That would be cool. It's not really in the frame right now, yeah, definitely
not.

Q. On another 'R' word, what about the fact you'll be playing the ball-boys,
girls and umpires in Ralph Lauren?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think it's exciting. I love Ralph Lauren. American
designer. I love Ralph Lauren. I think it will be nice.

Q. The other uniforms last year, what did you think? Did you think it was a
bit dowdy before?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I was so busy playing. But most certainly they will stand out
this year. Even I won't be too busy to notice them. They're beautiful,
classic. What's the word I'm looking for? They kind of bring you back to
older times. Very classic. Very classic. It's nice when fashion can be a part
of the tennis.