US OPEN


September 8, 2001


Venus Williams

NEW YORK CITY


THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. Congratulations, Venus.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Thank you.

Q. How do you feel?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I feel okay.

Q. Are you a mean big sister?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I think I'm one of the best out there. So... I don't
know.

Q. Do you consider tonight a win for the Williams family? What's the
significance?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, for sure, because this is our first Grand Slam final
together, and really that's the way we'd like it to be. Because then both of
us win in a way. And, also, I just hate to see Serena lose anyway - even
against me. So I think that's the harder part. For anything, it would be
easier for her to beat me, then I'd maybe be, I don't know, happier. It's
kind of strange. But when you're the big sister looking to take care of the
younger one...

Q. If that's true, do you think it would have been easier for you tonight if
it were Jennifer or Lindsay? Would you be more joyful now if you had beaten
one of them in the final?

VENUS WILLIAMS: If I was the younger sister, maybe I'd feel more joyful. When
you're younger, (inaudible) you're used to finding a way to get in and out of
things. I don't exactly feel like I've won.

Q. That's what I mean. That's why I'm asking. If you were playing a different
opponent, would you be a little bit more joyful?

VENUS WILLIAMS: If I was playing a different opponent, I'd probably be a lot
more joyful. But I'm happy I won the US Open again. There's nothing like
winning a Grand Slam. Serena and I, we both know that when we come out there,
it's going to be two competitors competing against each other. That's just
the way it is. When you walk out on the court, if you're not a competitor,
you just got to go home. And we both understand that.

Q. How did you and your sister spend the day today before you got here?

VENUS WILLIAMS: We practiced, had lunch, took a nap, headed over.

Q. Your mother said that you took a nap. Serena went out and did some
shopping with mom.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I think Serena -- I don't know. I don't think she
shopped. I hope not, because then she probably got some things I didn't get
(laughter).

Q. You got some sleep, maybe that helped?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I love sleeping (laughter). Nothing like getting those
zzz's on. Always try to take a nap before a match if I get the chance. A lot
of times it's hard to get up for me. Today it took me about an hour and a
half to get up.

Q. There's much talk about the dream. Often, you have told us that this was
your parents' dream. At what point did it become your dream? Secondly, the
dream of both of you playing together in a Grand Slam tournament, when did
that happen?

VENUS WILLIAMS: It's tough to say. When I was younger, I played tennis
because my parents wanted me to. I was happy doing it. I never thought twice
about it. And I suppose later on, as I got older and was able to understand
and I kind of understood what was going on around me, that's when I decided
or I understood that, "Hey, I wanted to be a player, too." From the
beginning, it was just a lot of positive reinforcement from my parents.
Again, I understood I'd be a good player, I guess.

Q. There are a lot of sisters, brothers. What has happened today is really so
unusual in tennis. So many things could have gone one way or the other.
Because of the development, how do you see this, both of you together, in
terms of the historical perspective of this event?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, boy. Well, I don't know how we ^ both had to be two good
sisters together. We're both good athletes, that helps a lot. Then we worked
hard and we believe in ourselves. That helps a lot more. Then we kind of
stepped up and made it happen. That's what counts. I guess, you know, years
from now we'll look back and laugh. We still laugh. But now we look back at
the times that we've had before and we laugh and say, "Boy, if I had known, I
would have done better here and there." I suppose we can keep the memory for
ourselves.

Q. So many figures from the world of sports, from entertainment, celebrities
of all kinds came to this match. What does that mean to you, that all these
figures came to see a little tennis match between two women?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, actually, I was looking at the screen, too. I don't
deny myself a look on the screen when I'm on the changeover. So I look and
see who's here, too.

Q. Could you tell us a little bit, some of the celebrities you saw, what went
through your head.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I saw all of them - all of them that they showed on the
screen. I was thinking mostly about the match for sure. But I like watching
the screen.

Q. In the past, your matches with Serena have been filled with a lot of
unforced errors - one way or the other. Were you surprised the way she came
out? Was she a little rattled in the beginning? How do you describe that
first-set dominance you had?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think we were even until I got the first break, and it
could be that I'm really used to playing these Grand Slam finals now. That
could be it. This is my fifth one so far, my fifth Grand Slam final. So I
think maybe that played a factor.

Q. You didn't drop a set this whole event. Is this the easiest Grand Slam
you've won? I mean, are you just playing beyond, you know, any skill level
you played before?

VENUS WILLIAMS: In terms of the scores, I suppose so. It has to be my easiest
Grand Slam. But it's been a hard week, or two weeks. I'm a little tired.

Q. Are you at the top of your game? Can you move up?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't feel I played my best. I don't feel I did. But I
guess it's not always the best that counts. It's how you play the important
points. And I'd like to, of course, improve my game.

Q. Do you still have the goal of being No. 1 in the world?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Sure, I do. It just hasn't happened (smiling). When I'm
deserving of it, I suppose I'll be there. But it hasn't worked out just yet.

Q. You said you've been in five Grand Slam finals now, and you think that
that's helped your comfort level, confidence in the match. There are certain
points you might have been down Love-30. Can you explain how being in the
finals helped you out.

VENUS WILLIAMS: It's really just that maybe I understand the plays more, more
than Serena does, which is putting the ball where I want it to be or trying
to draw an error. So that could be it, too. But I don't know. Just, you
know... I don't know.

Q. Do you think that women are overtaking sport? If so, what role do you
think you and your sister have in that?

VENUS WILLIAMS: The sport of tennis?

Q. Yes.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think definitely right now we're the top story in tennis.
It's real exciting because every time I go out there, especially if I'm
playing someone like Lindsay, Martina, Serena, Jennifer, Monica, I'm going to
be in for a battle. And I think that's exciting. And what we've all brought
to the game, we've worked hard, and I feel that we deserve it - and the sport
does, too.

Q. Martina's pretty much acknowledged that she's not the best player in the
world this year. Jennifer has two majors. You have two majors. If you had to
realistically assess it, would you say you were the best player this year?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess I've had the most amount of titles. But for me, I've
almost done my personal best. I would have loved to have won some more Grand
Slams, but that wasn't the case. Someone else was more deserving of the first
two (laughing). So it wasn't me. I've done my best. And the year isn't over
yet. I'm still looking forward to hopefully improving my ranking. Who knows?

Q. Just sort of eradicating tonight's match and everything, can you
understand how people in the media particularly look at matches between
yourself and Serena with a very sort of critical eye, almost waiting to see
if there's any sign that one maybe is sort of slumping at such a time, sort
of a suspicion, almost? Obviously something that you abhor. But can you
understand why they're saying, These two sisters, how hard is it for them to
play each other? Do you understand that, or do you just find it complete
nonsense?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I rarely try to understand. When you spend too much time
trying to understand things, then that takes too much time, in my opinion,
energy. I develop my own theories and beliefs, and that's how I go.

Q. A few years ago you said you'd like to travel to Africa. I was wondering
if you ever envisioned yourself playing a tournament there?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I suppose we had one tournament in Egypt, but it's not
there anymore. But I sure would like to go. It's hard, because when we do
have time off, we have to also spend that time practicing and training so we
can play as well as we do. Isn't a lot of free time in our schedules. We have
full-time jobs, actually. So when I have the opportunity and the time, I'd
love to.

Q. There were times when she wasn't playing too well. As a sister, did you
feel yourself feeling a little bit sorry for her? If you did, how did you
deal with that?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I always like to see Serena play well and do her personal
best. I was happy to get free points, that's for sure. But then on the other
hand, I was, you know, being like -- kind of like if I was sitting in the
stands and Serena was playing someone else and I was saying, "Come on,
Serena, just do this or do that." When I'd find myself doing that, I'd lose a
couple points. So I just want the best for her in the end.

Q. How did you overcome feeling sorry for her?

VENUS WILLIAMS: When I lost a couple points, I wasn't sorry anymore
(laughter).

Q. There were people, Venus, who were thinking ahead to when you're 1 and 2
in the world, you and Serena, and that you could be playing more Grand Slam
finals. Do you think that gradually will cut through the difficulties you
feel maybe emotionally now about playing sister against sister, and that it
will become, "Okay, you've won Grand Slams, I've won Grand Slams, let's go
for it"? Mentally, emotionally, there won't be any problem whatsoever playing
your sister. Do you think that time will come?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think pretty much today, I don't think we had a problem
playing each other. Sure, I wanted to win more than anything - and Serena
did, too. We understood that. But I think we played an okay match today. I
think that when I had some opportunities like to break serve, I was able to
capitalize on those more than what she was able to. So that was the key, the
difference in the match. But we both went out there competing, trying to win
this tournament. Hopefully, there will be better matches. I mean, after that
Andre and Pete match, no one can live up to that again in this tournament -
maybe not ever.

Q. Martina and Serena have said something about the wind on center court. You
guys practice in Florida. Is there anything about the wind on center court
here that makes it different from the wind factor in an open area?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, Florida is windy in March and April but not really the
rest of the year. And really, the most difficult part, I suppose, is that at
the other tournaments normally it's not windy. The US Open is the tournament
usually where it's very windy. Earlier on, in the years before, '98, '99, it
was more difficult for me to get used to it. Now I just play with the wind,
it's okay.

Q. On a scale of 1 to 10, how much would you say Serena is getting out of her
potential?

VENUS WILLIAMS: As far as effort level, definitely a 10. Serena always gives
her best, tries her hardest. But as far as executing, she definitely could do
better. Everyone has to try to do better in my opinion. Once you start
getting satisfied, it's going to be a problem.

Q. How are you going to celebrate this?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I'm going to pack (laughter). You know, I'm going to do
whatever Serena does. I don't know too many people, Serena knows more people
than what I do. Maybe I'll just kind of tag along.

Q. Do you think the men are going to start complaining that they're not
getting equal prize money with the Williamses taking all the fat checks like
this?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I don't think so (laughing).

Q. You talked about playing more tennis next year. So how many tournaments
are you planning on adding to your itinerary? Do you have any idea?

VENUS WILLIAMS: This year I suppose I've played ten or eleven. I thought that
was enough. If I had won a little bit more, it would have been better. But I
was happy on the places I went. Next year, I believe I'd like to play more in
the beginning of the year, maybe less at the end. So I'm going to look at the
calendar and see what suits me best.