FEDCUP SEMIFINALS: RUSSIA v USA

July 13, 2007

Zina Garrison
Vania King
Lisa Raymond
Venus Williams

STOWE, VERMONT

CAPTAIN GARRISON: I just want to thank everyone for coming out.
We're really looking forward to playing in this sell-out crowd. The team is
very excited. We've had a great time here, the little time that we've spent
here without the rain. But we're looking forward to a great weekend and
hopefully a lot of sunshine.
THE MODERATOR: We'll start the questions.

Q. Venus, could you tell us about how you're feeling coming into this
tournament following your victory?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I feel really good. I got here and everyone on the team and
Zina have really understood the need for me to be able to rest after just
traveling internationally and everything that goes into, you know, winning a
title like Wimbledon.
So I feel really good. Actually I'm very motivated. We all really want to win
this tie, so I'm going to put a hundred percent into it.

Q. Zina, what factors went into your decision playing Vania? Was it her
performance in Delray Beach that was the deciding factor?
CAPTAIN GARRISON: First and foremost, I'd like to once again publicly thank
Meilen for coming. It was such a short notice. Serena waited till the least
amount of possible chance to say she wasn't willing to come.
But for me the decision to actually put Vania in is actually her previous
times on the Fed Cup roster. So she knows how things work.
I didn't necessarily want to put Meilen in, kind of come in and you have to
go a hundred miles an hour. Meilen is great. We had a great talk. She was
really good. She said, Hey, whatever it takes for the team. That's what you
need: that type of team member.

Q. Lisa, are you looking forward to potentially being in a clinching doubles
match?
LISA RAYMOND: Well, I mean, I think that's why I'm here. I'm on this team
because of the fact that I think Zina has faith in me. If it were to come
down to a doubles match, you know, I'll be ready.
But I have faith in both V and Vania or Meilen. Given the opportunity, I very
much look forward to it. You know, hopefully we'll be able to clinch it
before then.

Q. Vania, could you talk about playing in the singles and your thoughts on
that, the process that went into it, what the conversation was like with Zina?
VANIA KING: Well, first of all I'm really honored just to be on this team
with these great players and to play for my country.
Every time I play Fed Cup, it's a great opportunity for me to show that I can
play well and play my hundred percent. It's really special I get to be the
first one to go out and play against Russia.
I think we can do well.

Q. Venus, can you talk about your first opponent, Nadia Petrova, and what
your strategy is going to be for this match?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I've had some great matches against Nadia. I haven't played
her I don't think in probably a few years now. I think we both play pretty
similar. We both try to hit the ball a ton, serve big, dictate. Whoever plays
that match better...
Obviously, I'm very confident right now. She's in the top 10; she's got a lot
of confidence with her. But I'm going to be extra motivated because I'm
playing for my country.

Q. Vania, can you speak about starting it off first, what you know about your
opponent?
VANIA KING: I've never played Anna before in matches or practice. I don't
really know anything about her. I just found out that I was going to play her.
I think we're going to have a little bit of a talk later and I'll find out
(laughter).

Q. Venus, can you talk about sort of the emotional week you've had and take
us through it since last Sunday.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, since last Sunday all I've done is really try to sleep
a lot (laughter). I spent a ton of time in the airport.
I thought actually it would be great for me to come here because I knew, even
before I got here, it would be really relaxing, that this is not the big
city, but this is a place where I could relax and really get - how do you say
- balanced almost. I think that's been effective.
I've gotten a chance to go out on the court, I've gotten a chance to be with
the team, I've gotten a chance to be at the spa a little bit and go to the
pool and then just rest a lot. So it's been the perfect.

Q. Venus, very busy time for you, Wimbledon, Fed Cup. Can you talk about the
US Open Series coming up, leading up to the US Open.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes, I'm definitely very eager to play in the US Open Series.
I don't think I've ever played a summer where I was healthy. I'm looking
forward to it, just riding my momentum, having the opportunity to play, and
obviously try to win the series, move my ranking up, all those things.
I'm excited.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much.