1999
Lipton Championships Key Biscayne FL.
March 26
V. WILLIAMS/S. Graf
6-2, 6-4
Q. When you pointed at the end of the match, that was to signal "You and me for the final"?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Basically, yes.
Q. Was that a prearranged signal?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I'm a spur-of-the-moment person.
Q. What does it mean to you to now face up to her in a final?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's real great, you know. We both played well. I heard Serena came through a lot of comebacks in her match. She wasn't playing her best tennis, but she was able to come through. I raised the level of my game from playing so many bad matches earlier. We both came through in different ways. It's great.
Q. First of many?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Basically. Exactly.
Q. What was your first competitive match the two of you ever played?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, boy. It's in the record books, I guess.
Q. You can't recall it off the top of your head?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, not really, huh-uh.
Q. The matches between you, you always seem to win .
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, that was the past.
Q. But can you tell us what it is that enabled you to win those matches? Is it something that's in your head tactically or in terms of technique?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I guess I was a better player that day. I guess it was a year ago, it was a little while ago. I guess it's tough sometimes when you're the younger sister. When you're the older sister, maybe it can be tough, too. But Serena has improved her game. Not improved, but she's just better, really better, which is great.
Q. Your sister has come steaming up the rails in the last three or four weeks.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes, she's been playing pretty well. I've been predicting it. It's y'all who haven't been listening.
Q. Have you had any input into her improvement?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I do my best to help. She does her best to help me. It's a mutual thing.
Q. So what happens now over the next 24 hours?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Just regular. Keep living.
Q. Will you talk about the match?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Probably not. We never have.
Q. Opposite ends of the house till Sunday?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. We aren't like that at all.
Q. Will you practice together?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Sure, yeah.
Q. Just like any other regular practice session?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Basically.
Q. Did you expect to defeat Steffi Graf in two sets as you did, in the way you did?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, I love playing good tennis. Today I played good tennis. She played well also. I was just able to play better, make less unforced errors. In the past, I've played Steffi and I've won the first set and dropped the second. To me, it wasn't necessary. Maybe to her it was necessary to win the second. But for me, I would just like to go ahead and win in straight sets. So today was something unprecedented for me.
Q. Was that the best you've played this tournament, do you think, this week?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, definitely. I wasn't playing well at all in any of my other matches, just enough to get by.
Q. You seem to have found your rhythm slowly during the tournament. Today you looked so relaxed, even though you were very fast, hitting very hard. You seemed to be very fluid, very natural.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes. I'm a pretty good player, I guess (laughter). I've learned a lot. I've learned, you know, how to place the ball, how to move it around, what shots to make, what kind of shots you want to make on a player like Steffi or Jana or another player. So, definitely, I've come a long way.
Q. Very fluid tennis.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Thank you.
Q. Would you say a new era has arrived in women's tennis as of this week?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess so. It could be said.
Q. Would you say it?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I could say it, yes. A new era has arrived this week in women's tennis (laughter).
Q. How does your father feel now that both are in the final?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, he was real glad. We worked real hard, had some tough, tough, extremely tough - did I say it was tough? - Extremely tough losses. We've come a long way. It's what we always thought we would do, so it's a wonderful thing.
Q. Sometimes when you face an opponent, you have to kind of feel the other person out. When you're playing against your sister, what kind of tennis can we be looking for?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, we both need to keep our games at the same level. I really, really hope it's super tennis. I'm going to do my best to play well. She's going to do her best to play well, start serving better. I don't know if she was serving well today or not. I really haven't had time to find out what was happening in her match yet.
Q. Does it make it more special that it's actually going to be in the States?
VENUS WILLIAMS: That it's in the States?
Q. Yes.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess so. I'm not quite sure. I'm not sure.
Q. You didn't see any of your sister's match?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I had a match tonight. I stayed as long as I could. I left around 3:15, relaxed.
Q. I know you don't like looking back too far in the past. Can you remember that day in Australia when the two of you played each other? Can you remember what it was like afterwards, before?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's pretty hazy, yeah. I don't really remember.
Q. Was it strange to play her competitively?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, no. It's great that it's in the final, definitely.
Q. How do you remain composed when you play against someone you love, a family member?
VENUS WILLIAMS: In the end it's a competition. The best competitor wins. As soon as you walk off the court, the competitions are over.
Q. But you hate to lose.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't mind putting my name and losing in the same sentence. Winning and Venus sounds great. Serena doesn't like to lose either at all, never has.
Q. What about your father's loyalties? They'll be a bit torn.
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. He'll be glad for both of us. It will just be the same. It's like I won a point, Serena won a point.
Q. With the finals moved to Sunday, do you feel that women's tennis is now surpassing men's tennis?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I really didn't think about it that way. I don't know why the finals are on Sunday. Why the guy's final is on Saturday. I couldn't tell you. I can tell that you Serena and I both have a date on Sunday, early in the afternoon, I suppose.
Q. She said the other night, we were asking her about playing Hingis, was that her ultimate test. She said no. We said, "What is your ultimate test?" She said, "What do you think?" We said, "Playing your sister." She said yes. Do you go along with that as well?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Definitely I would say so. Serena is a tough player. She gives it all her best. She's really been improving, learning, making her shots. Yeah, I think so. She's playing great.
Q. Do you think it's fair to say that you and she are playing currently the best of any two women players in the world?
VENUS WILLIAMS: We both have raised our games since the beginning of this year. In Australia we were very, very, extremely disappointed with our play. We went on, we worked hard. We came back in February as new people. We could have even got new names, so. We worked hard. We've seen the success.
Q. What would your name be if you had a new name?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Come on (laughter).
Q. You said you and Serena have a date on Sunday. Then what?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Then we go home. That's all.
Championship Match
March 28
V. WILLIAMS/S. Williams
6-1, 4-6, 6-4
An interview with:
VENUS WILLIAMS
VERONIQUE MARCHAL: Questions for Venus.
Q. Congratulations. You got to 4-3 in the second set, then you seemed to come apart. What happened there?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I really don't remember at this point. I guess I came apart there. I guess Serena was playing better tennis. She stopped missing as many balls. I started missing more balls. Tough to say. I lost it.
Q. Is there any chance you may have subconsciously let up on her because you didn't want to embarrass there?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I would definitely say there's no chance because Serena always comes back and defeats people. I didn't want to become another victim. So it was all I could do to hold her off.
Q. You're the defending champion and older sister, kind of double pressure there. Did you feel any of that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I felt good. I felt kind of good coming in. I was making my shots. I didn't feel any pressure at all. I think the only match that I was feeling pressure on was against Anke Huber. I was just pretty ill, so. It wasn't easy at all.
Q. How much satisfaction is there in beating your sister?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Serena is a great player. Of course, there's great satisfaction because she takes players down left and right. So to survive such an onslaught is just great.
Q. Was it any different for you today in any way, emotionally or mentally, to look across the net and see your sister?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I look across the net and see her all the time, no.
Q. But not for a championship of a tournament, with everybody watching. Did anything cross your mind at all about how big this was?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's not too big. In the end, we go home, we live life. You have to be happy after that, so. You have to remind yourself it's a game, and there's only one winner. Of course, next week there will be another opportunity. That's how I feel.
Q. What did you say to her when the match was over?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. Maybe I'll just keep that for me.
Q. She didn't really look happy when she came to the net. You put your arm around her. Can you talk a bit about that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I mean, it's tough when you lose a match in the final, it's a tough match. It's tough for anyone, no matter what happens. Serena wants to win. She always wants to win. That's her personality.
Q. How is the day before the game in your house with your sister or family? Are you talking about the game?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, what actually happened was we woke up like at eight. We didn't hit till like 11. We didn't practice at all. We were playing around, joking. We didn't practice too hard. We didn't even hit serves. I gave Serena some overheads. It was my turn to hit some overheads. I hit one bad one. I said, Give me one more and I'll be done. We left. We didn't even hit in the afternoon like we planned. We knew we were playing each other. We were going to give ourselves the best effort.
Q. Did you notice Serena picking up her game a little bit early on in the second set?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I already knew Serena was going to pick up her game. It's a trend. Serena just doesn't play a whole match bad. She usually plays every match very well. If she happens to start out slow, she always makes herself pick it up, no matter what the circumstances are. That's how she's going to play.
Q. What do you think happened at the end? Serena came back, broke you, tied it at 4-4. Her game just fell apart?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think it fell apart. I just think I happened to win that game. It was great to win that game. I had to serve it out. I guess I played a tough game there. I had to if I wanted to win at that point, unless I wanted to go to 5-All, which wouldn't have been very good tidings for me against Serena.
Q. Do you think all of us, the media, are making too much out of this sister thing?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. Serena and I, we've been doing a lot. Maybe you aren't.
Q. What did you think when she nailed you with that short ball at the net?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, I was ready. I have great hands. We play doubles all the time. I really didn't know where the ball was going, so I just wish I could have got it back. It's too late now.
Q. You hit the edge of your racquet?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know what happened. I just didn't win the point. I do know that.
Q. Was there any part of you that was glad to get this over with?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I was ready to play.
Q. After the match ended, didn't seem like you celebrated that much. Was there any part of you that it wasn't as fun because your sister had to be the loser?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's just a competition, two players, two great players. That's how I felt.
Q. You have such a complete game. Do you think you could improve your overhead a little bit?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I usually never miss overheads. But today I remember I had one overhead. One of the main problems for me is I'm so tall that if it's not high enough, it's going to hit my racquet. It's quite odd. Then there's another one, Serena hit it up so high.
Q. You do have confidence in your overhead?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah. I just have to hit it. If you don't hit it, it's your own double-fault.
Q. Don't you think the older sibling always has an advantage?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know.
Q. Come on.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. Come on.
Q. You said you'll be enrolling in fashion design school in the fall.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes.
Q. Have you designed any of your outfits?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I've only designed a warm-up suit. But I will have some of my designs at the US Open. I find it very exciting. It's my career choice. It's a great thing. I enjoy fashion.
Q. Was there more pressure on you than her today?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I really don't think so. I don't think either of us had pressure on us at all. I just think we went out there and started playing.
Q. Serena has said before, before some of her other big matches, you gave her advice. Obviously you didn't do that today.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Probably not.
Q. Is it hard to be a mentor to your little sister when she's going to be an opponent?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I teach her everything I can. I know that I'm a good player. I believe in my game. When you play someone, you just have to worry about what you're doing. If you worry about what they're doing, it's going to be a little more tougher. But I do everything I can to make Serena the best player that she can be and that I can be.
Q. Your father said that perhaps you and your sister were maybe not as focused as intensely as it might have been if it had been another opponent who wasn't your sister across the net. Do you agree with that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Perhaps. Perhaps. I like to use that word, too. I think Serena and I, we both wanted to win. Serena wanted to win this title. I guess it would have been her largest title. This is my largest title. I haven't been able to excel at any Grand Slams yet. We both wanted to win.
Q. What did you think after the first set when your daddy held up the sign, "Go, Serena, go."
VENUS WILLIAMS: I couldn't see the sign. My eyes aren't that good.
Q. What do you think now in retrospect?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't see anything wrong with it.
Q. Your dad seemed quite emotional today. Looks like it was a huge accomplishment. Now can he let go a little bit, let you make your own decisions. Do you think this was for him and for yourself a point where he can be a little more relaxed around the tournaments, enjoy it more, less responsibilities since you both have reached a higher point?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.
Q. Two days ago you said you wanted this to be a really good match. I'm wondering, do you think this is the best match it could have been?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Things could always be better in my eyes. I could have played better. Serena could have played better. It's what happened. It was good enough. It was two hours.
Q. Will you and Serena enter a lot of tournaments the rest of this year together or not?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Basically, yes. We'll be in a lot of the same tournaments. We still take days off and time off, weeks off. We're nice to ourselves, in other words.
Q. Were you always aware of who your opponent was or did you lose yourself in the match and play the ball, as she said she did?
VENUS WILLIAMS: If I was always aware of who my opponent was, obviously I am aware. Gee, I was trying to compete for points. That's all in the end. That's all I was trying to do.
August 27
V. WILLIAMS/M. Seles
6-1, 6-3
Q. Came out pretty good?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I was playing pretty good. I guess I could say that.
Q. Why was it so easy?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I have been playing pretty good for the whole week and preparing myself for the latter rounds of this tournament and for next week. So served well, which is a plus no matter who you are playing; always makes a match much easier.
Q. Feel like your game is right with your want it to be going into the Open?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I definitely would like to play better. I would like to play a little bit better off the ground; keep my ball a little bit deeper. I feel like I am rushing a little bit; just want to slow down mostly concentrate on my stroke.
Q. If you were to use a percentage basis, how many more percentage points would you want to improve?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. As far as percentage that is a tough question.
Q. What do you do to try to make yourself go slower when you are on the court and there is so much going on?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Most of all I just try to take longer strokes and I try to instead of just -- if someone hits the ball fast, you try to hit it back faster instead you take your time; place it where you want it to be in. That is what I will make sure I am going to do tomorrow.
Q. You seemed to take something off the ball now and then?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I did sometimes. It is a good thing at times. Monica is a good stroker of the ball. That is her main strength. That is how she likes to play. As for me, I can play quite a few different ways.
Q. When are you going to learn to serve and volley more like you do in doubles?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. Really. Doesn't seem to be in me, not right now. I guess at least coming in a little bit more is a step. Serve and volleying, that is the future.
Q. Against Lindsay what are you going to have to do?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think some of the same things tonight just serve well, return well, and I am really into attacking second serves these days. It is pretty much in fashion. Just take my time because she is going to play some good tennis. She improved the level of her game, but so have I; that is what I have to do.
Q. Third time in a month that you are going to be playing her. It is one a piece. From the last time when you beat her, what more do you have to do? Is it going to be generally the same sort of level as you played the last time in California?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I played okay there. I didn't play my best there. I really wasn't serving well. Wasn't getting too many first serves. I was living off a second which is not that easy. So I am going to definitely get more first serves in and I am serving better. The serving feels better. I went out and worked on it and so that is definitely something that I'd like to do better as far as from the last time I played her in San Diego.
Q. You enjoy tonight, nice crowd out there, pretty good energy. Feed off of that a little bit?
VENUS WILLIAMS: That is always nice especially when Monica plays she is going to have a lot of fans, people love her. She is a great champion. So -- and me, I am pretty young out there, just trying to get a couple of things for myself, so it is definitely great when the crowd is into it because when the crowd is quiet, it kind of feels like you are -- don't even feel like you are in practice. When you are in practice you feel intensity, but when the crowd is quiet when you are playing a match it kind of feels dead, so it is a better when they are really into it.
Q. You just came into the match confident and kind of stayed confident through the whole match; seemed like even like she had you at breakpoint and in the second set you came back and won the game. You just kind of seemed to be on a roll.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I did lose serve in the second set once. I am working on that because you need to hold serve at those important times, especially against the top players because if you give them the opportunity a lot of times they are going to come back. Just like I would. So she had some opportunities against my serve, but I actually hit some nice big first serves because I said okay, now you know what to do on these serves, so go ahead and do it, get a free point, get it back to deuce so I was able to do that most times.
Q. There were times when you could see the frustration on Monica's face after she thought she had hit a winner. Do you feel like you are just in a groove right now that everything is just going your way?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Not that I really feel like I am in a groove. I just feel like -- I am just trying to just be more -- not more serious, but just going out there and actually just playing tennis and not making mistakes, or holding back, mostly I want to go out there and strike the ball and do what I have been taught to do. That is how I feel, that I am trying to actually do those things.
Q. You feel at this point it is easier to accomplish those things?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I guess so. I am just trying to look at it as a game and just go out there and just enjoy the competition. When you look at it like that, it is easier instead of: Oh, I have to win, I have to win. That is not any good.
Q. Monica was 19, 20; she is doing pretty well now, but she was an incredible player. Did you watch her growing up at all and marvel at the way she played?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, most certainly. I was there when she played all those French Open Finals and when she really had everything on her side and I was about 10, 1990, 1989 I was 9 and 10, and 11, so my sister and my dad and I, we would watch the films and tape and we were just trying to learn to be better so, I remember all of that.
Q. Now that you are playing her, how does that feel?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think about it really, but now that you say it, I have come along way.
Q. It was clear that you were in a zone tonight that we haven't seen and you have progressed as the week has progressed. Wednesday night you even mentioned seems that sometimes you play at the level of your opponent, you try and shake that sometimes, especially when the opponents is not there. Tonight you didn't have to worry about that. Monica is going to be Monica. Tomorrow night or tomorrow afternoon when you go against Lindsay is there another notch that you have to raise it?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Actually I want to raise the level in my game no matter who I am playing, but definitely against Lindsay she is going to want to win this title. She didn't win last year and going into the Open with a title is a pretty good feeling. I am going to definitely raise the level of my game the best that I know how.
Q. Women's sports is really receiving a lot of attention. How does it feel to be involved?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I feel pretty good. I think women's tennis is the most recognized women's sport all over the world, especially players no matter where you go, people know who you are. So it is a good thing. It is definitely a good thing.
Pilot Pen Championship
August 28
V. WILLIAMS/L. Davenport
6-2, 7-5
Q. You got to be pretty pleased with the way you played today?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I played pretty good. I think -- I don't know how many doublefaults I had, but when I did get my first serve if I was serving well and I think toward the second set she started finding I guess some rhythm on the serve which maybe not going for as much a bigger turn just getting it back in play which is a good strategy, a lot of breaks, eventually I was able to pull it out.
Q. What does beating Monica and also Lindsay on successive days do to your confidence going into the Open?
VENUS WILLIAMS: To me -- well, I don't know -- I know I can play well and I had wins over both those players previously. So I feel I can go out there and win the matches. But as far as having a win, a tournament win is better than having a tournament loss going into a Grand Slam. That is how I feel.
Q. Give you a lot of confidence going to the Open?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I am feeling good about playing the big points when it gets to 30-All. When you are not -- when you are serving or when you are not serving I am feeling good about playing those larger points so that is important.
Q. What are you doing better against her now than you were earlier? She says maybe little more consistency against her, before she has been able to kind of wait you out from the base lane --
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, in the past she just would overpower me. When you are getting overpowered you kind of rush and you make the error, but now it is just -- it is not the same anymore. I am not as young and I have better techniques, so things aren't the same anymore. I don't feel overpowered when I play her.
Q. Is that just confidence?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Me going out there and working hard and improving. I really -- I worked hard for all of December, before the year started. It wasn't enough. Actually I was -- I had to go work hard for another two, three weeks before I was really able to get back on my game. So it was really a lot of work.
Q. Do you feel you are ready to win a major?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Definitely. I have been ready and I was ready for the first one, first one I played.
Q. That is very true.
VENUS WILLIAMS: It didn't seem -- I guess it wasn't the right time. Just waiting for that right time and hopefully this will be the right time, but if it's not the right time next time will be the right time.
Q. You don't ever seem to feel any pressure of expectation, there has been so much expectation year in year out, people talking about you as a heavy favorite, you don't seem to feel that kind of pressure --
VENUS WILLIAMS: I if I didn't feel I had a chance to win I can go home and get a lot of other things done. I don't feel the pressure. It is just a game, I enjoy playing it. This is what I want to do right now. And if I don't do my best, I have another chance. If I don't do as well, just go out and work a little harder. But you have to take it all in stride.
Q. Feel like that is something that not enough other athletes do, maybe they put a little too much pressure on themself --
VENUS WILLIAMS: I am not sure about the other athletes. Sports is so competitive these days, so everyone is trying to get a piece of the pie. I have little bit, but not any of the Grand Slam titles yet. I guess that is the cake.
Q. Four women have cleaned up on the summer circuit so far. Do you think --
VENUS WILLIAMS: Me, Serena, Lindsay and Hingis.
Q. Yes. Do you think that is where the US Open champion will come from?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It seems like the most likely place. Both of us -- all four of us are going to be on top of our games. I am going to rally Serena up. She is going to rally me up. We are going to get ourselves going. Some reason I fall by the wayside, I am going to really pushing behind her, Serena don't do like me; likewise. So just as long as it is good tennis, I think that is the most important thing.
Q. When you say rally each other up, what sort of form does that take?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Come on, Serena, please don't hit that ball flat. Get under it, un-der. Things like that. So if I am doing well, she is doing well, it is like the same thing, both of us have a win.
Q. You have gone from a year ago you were 3 and 5 in Finals; now you are 5 and 3 this year. Are you approaching the Finals any differently or do you just consider it another match?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think in the past I was a little less experienced and people could pull tricks on me or I would actually start rushing, things like that. Not that I didn't think I could win. I just wasn't able to make the right decisions in order to win. I think this year I have done a little better with that, especially in the latter part of the year.
Q. Third game of the match was five deuces. I don't remember how many points. (Inaudible.) Was that sort of a big point in that match to kind of get through that -- you are on serve trying to hold serve is that sort of a key to the match for you early on to get on top of her?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, because those good holds are pretty well. It is great when you win them, but you feel it more when you lose them. That is how it is. I guess when she lost that she didn't feel as great as I did when I won that game. So it is important to try to hold serves and to get the first set under your belt. Because the other player feels a little bit more pressure to stay in the match. I know I have been in those situations a lot of times, lost the first set, so I was at the advantage.
Q. Was it getting difficult in the second set not to really get frustrated with the fact that neither of you were holding serve?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I never get frustrated as a player. I just feel like, okay, I have to get the next opportunity. I am never -- I wouldn't say maybe once or twice in my career I have been kind of upset. Yeah. And I guess everyone knew. I don't really get frustrated. I just feel like, okay, I lost serve I have to break, so finally at 5-4 couldn't believe I kept losing serve like that. I wasn't serving too badly. She was returning much better; then I would kind of make an error which is not too logical to say the least, but I wasn't frustrated.
Q. Your talent has definitely been there the next couple of years. Last few days you said that your concentration was what you have been really trying to work on not losing when you are up 40-Love. You lost the first game of the set, almost like her strategy would have worked when she broke you right away. Came right back and broke her ......
VENUS WILLIAMS: That happened the last match too the second set I lost my serve, but you just have to break back. I returned serves very well and I get quite a few balls on the run so I had a lot of things to work with besides my serve. I felt I would to have break back; I kept breaking back and she kept breaking back.
Q. Down double set point. How much were you dreading going to a third?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I was just losing racket speed a lot on my forehand. She kept getting to it and trying to get that error; sometimes I was giving it to her. So at that point I said I am going to keep my racket speed and just hit the ball. I managed to get those next two points and then the match.
Q. Fans say that there is a higher intensity level that they have seen with the women in this tournament than they did with the men. Do you think that is accurate?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I am not too sure. I haven't been to too many men's tournaments. I guess the men's game is a little bit more less rallies, I would say. The ladies everyone is kind of fighting each other, slugging it out and it is still quite a lot of pace and I know I hit the ball hard, Lindsay does. Last night playing Monica it was a quick game, boom, boom, boom. So I think there is enough consistency, enough power and just enough of everything to kind of make it real interesting and very intense for the fans.
Q. You have beaten Lindsay twice now in a row. Do you feel you have established any sort of mental edge?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I am not sure how she is feeling about playing against me. What is most important is I am prepared to play against whoever I play and know that they most likely will want to win so I have to be ready to pull the win for myself.
Q. Besides Serena who would you say is your biggest rival?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I have played Lindsay quite a few times and in the last year -- this year we are two and two. Other years it was not too good for me. I was young; didn't understand too much and I would say with Hingis the first year in 1997 when I first got on the Tour she got three wins. After that it has been pretty even. Unless I kind of start playing bad and making bad decisions.
Q. I have to ask you about the fan who was sitting with your dad, the one with the beaded wig. He says he has met you at other tournaments. What is your reaction to the kind of support?
VENUS WILLIAMS: If he likes it, I love it.
Q. There are certain players that every player on the way up has to learn how to beat and sort of conquer? You know what I mean? A lot of players always seem to have that one player that gives them trouble. Once they learn how to beat that player seems like they really take off. Certain players that you have to Davenport being one that you have to learn thousand beat .....
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I just had a bad record with Davenport in the past. I guess right now looking at the record I am still at a disadvantage. This year I am doing good. I was just -- in the past I was just overpowered and now things are different. I have gotten older, stronger, I have gotten better, so I would say she is a player that has the most wins over me.
Q. You seem very bubbly in here and talking to people about on the court you don't show much emotion. Why is that? Are you just extremely focused? Is there no place or reaction out there?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, a match like this is very important. I am trying to be focused on every point. I want every point for myself. Pretty selfish out there. But as for her, I am not playing tennis, I am not competing with anyone in this room. So it is different.
Q. How is it different for your life? You have been in the limelight for the last few years, if you win the US Open whatever happens, does it take away from your tennis game? How does your family react? You are going to probably be innundated -- (inaudible)
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't understand the question.
Q. How much does that go through the back of your mind, something like that, you are in the limelight now, big change of life for yourself, your family - distracts from your tennis game itself?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, not at all. I don't think so. I think it just gets a little bit fatiguing doing interviews. I have been doing interviews since I was little, 11, 12 now it is kind of gaining on me. It is like the same questions. These interviews are more better the press conference, but one-on-ones they just get like the same question. I don't understand why they need to ask me the question. They can get it from another article. That is how I feel. Please, ask different questions.
Q. What would you ask Venus Williams that you haven't been asked before?
VENUS WILLIAMS: So Venus, when is the last time you have been to Dunkin Donuts.
Q. Venus, when was the last time you have been to Dunkin Donuts?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Only reason I haven't been lately is because I have been overseas and then I haven't been home so much or else driving by I might make that lefthand turn and it gets pretty tough.
Q. Are you looking forward to the release of your new dress collection next week?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I really have an outrageous dress. It is really going to be tough on me to get in it. And I am really -- actually what I need to do is just put it on and start wearing it now and getting comfortable with it. Unfortunately it is my own design, it is my own fault, but I never -- I never thought they would pick that one. I thought they'd pick another one because I submited at least 15 designs. Before I knew it, I have to be in it.
Q. They wouldn't let you wear it today?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I need to just get on the practice court at the US Open and just start practicing in it so I can get comfortable with the feeling. It is -- yeah.
Q. What is so different about it that you have got to get comfortable?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It just only has one sleeve and -- but it is lycra and it is going to stay up. But then it has a cut out right here also. So for me it was just kind of just experimenting with the design, but before I knew it was in production. Now I love it. But it is really just daring.
Q. They wouldn't let you wear it today?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, it is for the Open: I like my dresses now. I kind of like the one I had on today that didn't even come together, but I can just mix and match I have so many different colors, it is great.
Q. Have you and Serena sat down and watched the Lipton Open final?
VENUS WILLIAMS: We don't watch that match. We played so bad. I was playing some of my worse tennis. She played even worse. We just don't watch it. We will get pretty sick to our stomachs.
Q. Is there something inside your ring?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Glitter. It was like a 50 cent store piece and every one loves it. I don't know.
ANNE WORCESTER: I have a special little presentation for Venus. It will take one minute. Many of you know that when we created our new logo and renamed the tournament this year we used the Steffi Graf icon as the defending champion on our stationery and business cards. Earlier in the week, Venus and I were together, she happened to see one of our business cards. She grabbed it and said, what is that. I said Steffi Graf's icon defending. She said I want to be on those business cards. This is four days later, she comes down to the court, she has just won the final of the Pilot Pen and what is first thing she says out in the court dignitaries. "Now I can be on the business cards." So, Venus, I need to get these into production just like you and your dresses. I did want you to leave New Haven with a little cut and paste stuff so I made one for you to take away.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Wow. Thanks.
ANNE WORCESTER: Congratulationss. We can't wait for you to come back next year.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Thank you very much. Thanks.
September 5
V. WILLIAMS/M. Fernandez
2-6, 6-1, 6-0
Q. Do you feel a little sorry for Mary Joe? You looked concerned.
VENUS WILLIAMS: That was terrible. At the beginning of the point, it was just a little bit. As we exchanged a few shots, I guess it started raining much harder. I didn't notice it too much. I guess I did. But then she went down. I was like, that was unfortunate. She had a really bad injury. She just came off of a wrist injury, so hopefully she's not injured.
Q. What was wrong with you in the first set? Looked like you were feeling lousy.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. I haven't played a singles match since Wednesday. I just was off. I couldn't seem to be able to get my rhythm. She started making some good shots, too, hitting some lines, pinpointing shots. I had to find a way to get back in it. After two rain delays, I finally started playing better.
Q. Was your flu affecting you at all in the first set?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, no. I'm better now. I'm actually having a pretty good recovery. I'm better.
Q. How much do you feel like you dodged a bullet today with the rain delay allowing you to regroup, the injury?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, when did the first rain delay come, anyway? I don't really remember.
Q. 5-2.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah. I've been down before in sets, in matches. I would have actually found a way to come back. I believe I would have. Whether or not I could have, I'm not sure. The rain delays did occur. I'm sure that helped some. I can't change anything that happened.
Q. Do you think she was a completely different player after the injury?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, not really. I got a break or so early in the second, just one point, up 3-Love. I started playing more consistently, stopped missing a lot. Once you start doing that, you aren't giving so many points away, then it's different. But I don't think she started making as many shots, all the great shots she was making in the first set.
Q. What did you do during that rain delay? You seemed to have so much more energy when you came back.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I was just able to think about what I was able to do. I had a banana.
Q. Because of the walkover, you said the flu, your sickness, which limited your practice time, are you able to judge how well you're playing right now, especially with this kind of disjointed match today?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I know for a fact I could raise the level of my game when it counts. I've done it a lot before. But the thing is, I shouldn't be raising the level of my game; I should be playing wonderful tennis all throughout this next week. So whether I do that or not, that's going to be important. I'm looking forward to my next opponent. Looks like -- what's the score now? Schett maybe.
Q. She won. VENUS WILLIAMS: She won, yeah.
Q. Are you able to judge how well you're playing? We're entering the second week of a Slam. Usually, most people know how they're playing around this stage of the tournament.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think I'm playing well. I think that I'm playing the breakpoints well, the game points well. I actually think I'm serving well, also. I'm serving consistently. It feels very comfortable, my serve.
Q. Did you say to yourself, "I'm going to move her around because of the injury and take advantage of that"?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, yeah, that did come to mind, that maybe she could be injured. I'm not sure. Looked like she was moving well. I don't know. I guess you'll have to ask her. I think she moved quite well afterwards.
Q. When you came back after the long delay, you were serving at 2-Love, it was your ad. You win the next point; you have a 3-Love lead. If you lose that point, you could be in for quite a battle. Did you think during the break how important that point was going to be?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Not really. I just felt like I was going to win that point. Especially when I came out, I was feeling pretty comfortable. I had some time to think about what I was doing. I just was ready to play. I felt a lot more comfortable.
Q. How much did that injury that she suffered affect the rest of the match, do you think?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm not sure. Obviously she didn't make as many great shots as before, because I was giving her some short balls, and she came in and hit the corners. Wasn't too much I could do about it at that time. I guess it's best for you to ask her how she felt.
Q. Do you think they should have stopped the match before that point?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think in the middle of the point it just started coming down much harder. Before, it was only a few spots. After about six or seven strokes, it was pretty wet, I suppose. But the match would have stopped after that point. It was in between the point where all the damage came, I think.
Q. What about Barbara Schett, what do you know about her?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I've seen her play quite a few matches because I'm on Tour. I've played a lot of matches after her, so I get to see what she's doing. I've only played her once, last year in the second round of Wimbledon. I'm sure she'll want to play much better this time. I would like to play much better than what I played today.
Q. You mentioned you should be playing wonderful tennis all throughout the second week. What are the things you want to pinpoint, target, to play wonderful tennis from here on out?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I definitely would like to be more aggressive, moving forward, everything else. With my next match, hopefully it will be a pretty challenging match to get me ready for the next two rounds that I'll be playing. So I'm looking forward to a good match just to prepare myself. Naturally, I'm going to have to be ready because Barbara Schett, her first time she has to get to the semifinals of a Grand Slam.
Q. Is there one particular adjustment you try to make when you feel that your game is off? For those of us hacks who play recreationally, do you try to look at the ball coming off the opponent's racquet or say, "Move your feet more"? What does somebody on your level concentrate on to bring your game where you want it to?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, you have to first look at what you're doing that might not be right. For instance, I got more or less caught up into playing her game. I have a power game. She has a game where she places the shots well. When she has the opportunity, she uses her power. I got caught up into using her game. Also I was producing quite a few short balls which gave her the opportunity to look like an All-American. I looked like the last NFL pick. That's how I looked.
Q. There's two different ways to play tennis. I mean, your top serve was 121 miles an hour and hers was 88. Does it strike you there's a real variety in the way you can play this game?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's really super. The best part is when something isn't working, if you know how, you can change the way you're playing and try different strategies. You can start rushing the net, start throwing up higher balls. Anything can happen in tennis. It is pretty interesting because we definitely have two very opposite games.
Q. You never played her before, then in the first set, you got down a little bit. Did you think to yourself, "This is a veteran player, this is going to be a little more tricky maybe than I thought"? VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, you know that she's played quite a few matches, been in quite a few situations. Most of all, you have to -- I had to realize that I was giving away the match with a lot of errors. No matter if the player is a player who has just gotten on or a really experienced person, if you're giving away the match, it's going to be easy for anyone to win.
Q. Does the day affect your spirit at all, the fact that it's rainy? Do you think that affects your energy level?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I like to play when it's sunny and when it's hot. I like to play that most of all. The first match I played was very windy. It was good because I was prepared for this, for this match, a more important match. That was nice that I got to play a match in the wind earlier.
Q. Do you feel you are the player to beat this year here?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's possible that I could be. I could be the player to beat or the player to meet. We'll see.
September 10
M. HINGIS/V. Williams
6-1, 4-6, 6-3
Q. Can you talk about your injury in the third set? You seemed to cramp or something.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Unfortunately, I was unable to close it out. I didn't take my opportunities. I had quite a few opportunities and breakpoints. She played some nice shots. I played some nice shots. It was a good match.
Q. Was it fatigue?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess cramping is just fatigue, or you're sick. I don't think I drank enough water either.
Q. Have you ever cramped before?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Years ago in Australia, it was super hot and I didn't drink enough water.
Q. Do you remember when?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I won.
Q. No, do you remember when?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. It was in Sydney in 1998.
Q. You lost a lot of speed on your serve about midway through the second set. Is that when you started to feel not very comfortable?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I just lost a lot of speed on my serve in the middle of the second set. I definitely was feeling pretty good at that point.
Q. What was the problem then?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Cramping.
Q. Do you feel like if you hadn't gotten that cramp, you know, kind of the cards were in your favor this year?
VENUS WILLIAMS: What can you say about "wouldn't have" or "shouldn't have"? I should have just taken my opportunities earlier so I wouldn't have had to have been out there at that point. That's just too bad.
Q. Did you feel the cramping coming on or only at that moment when we saw you sort of pull up?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, when I was trying to hit some serves, when I had the foot fault, it was just pretty tough. Every time I would push down, you know, have to use my leg, especially since I'm a tall player, I can't stand up high, I can't make shots like that, I have to get down. That was tough.
Q. Did the foot fault get into your concentration on those serves?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I've foot faulted before. I was okay at that point. I wasn't tight or nervous or anything. In the middle of the third set, just been playing so many points that you're ready to hit.
Q. Do you think you cramped only because it was physically tough, or do you think you cramped because you were stressed?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I definitely think it was physical because we were both doing all types of running. We were just doing all types of running. I was moving her; she was moving me. There was really no break.
Q. Did you ever get to a point in the third set where you thought she was tired?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, definitely. I thought she was tired.
Q. What were the signs?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm sure she was tired. She was breathing hard, struggling to get shots.
Q. When you went up 3-2 in the third set, you could see that she was hitting long on her shots, really wasn't that much punch, looked like she was basically dying on her foot. Did you feel at that point it was time to take control of the match right there?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I was definitely feeling confident off the ground to the very last shot. I was definitely feeling good about it. I just didn't capitalize. Hit a lot of short balls I could have came in on, things like that.
Q. How about the match up until that point? You were really going at each other. Is that the way you normally play?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Most times. It just depends on how I play, if I get crazy. Like in the first set, I didn't play well at all. Just depends on how I play.
Q. What do you think of tomorrow's match?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, hopefully Serena definitely will do better than what I did two years ago. But it's under totally different circumstances because Serena has a lot more to work with, I would say, than what I did at that time.
Q. What did Serena say to you when you came off the court?
VENUS WILLIAMS: She said, "Nice job."
Q. You obviously know your sister's game better than anyone. Coming off of Martina, what kind of a match do you expect tomorrow?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I expect both of them to go out there and go for it because it's the title at stake. I think they're both going to go out there swinging. I know Serena will, and I guess Martina will just do her regular thing.
Q. Did you two meet in the locker room before you went on and after she came off?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.
Q. What did you say to each other?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I wanted my brush.
Q. You wanted your brush?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. She took my brush.
Q. What was your emotional state of mind coming to play your semi after watching one that involved your sister as opposed to someone else playing the semi?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I was expecting to do a little bit better than what I did. Just have to wait for another opportunity once again.
Q. Is this the most disappointing loss of your career?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I've had some terrible, terrible losses. This is pretty disappointing, too, but.
Q. What did you think of her get on the next-to-last point? Can you appreciate it now or then?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Definitely. It just kind of hit the frame and just kind of skidded and kept going. It was just, "I'll hit the shot, it's probably going to go out," but it just went in. You just get those sometimes. Not too much I could do about it. I thought it was going to go out. She just lunged at it. Normally, that type of shot would go wide, long, but it went in.
Q. Is there anything that you'll say to Serena, kind of a scouting report for her? Anything you think you could tell her that would help her?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I will just tell her to play hard. Serena has played Martina so many times, not as much as I have, but a lot. She's been at a lot of matches I've played against her. She knows what she's doing.
Q. How much more special would it have been to be able to play your sister?
VENUS WILLIAMS: That would have been super.
Q. Do you expect Serena to be a little more motivated because Martina beat you today?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, now she's playing for two people. Hopefully, I gave Martina a good workout today.
Q. She's a good competitor. Do you think in any way it's easier for her to play tomorrow without playing you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Who, Martina?
Q. No, Serena. Do you think it's at all easier for her to play Martina rather than you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think she would have much rather that I win.
Q. For family reasons, of course. But in terms of motivation for her, just wanting to beat an opponent, do you think it might be easier for her tomorrow?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. No matter who Serena plays, me or anyone else, she wants to pull in the win. She's angry, even if she's playing against me, if she's missing shots. So it doesn't make a difference.
Q. I asked Serena would she put any premium on luck at all.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Any what?
Q. Premium, any value at all on luck in these matches.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Luck?
Q. Luck.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Okay.
Q. I reminded her of what Patrick Rafter said, that you need luck to win Grand Slam events. She kind of dismissed that fact. Do you have that same attitude?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I don't believe in luck.
Q. What do you mean, you don't believe in luck? If everybody is equally as good, a net cord here, a bad call here, an experienced player like even John McEnroe saying that you need luck --?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, if it all came down to luck, I would lay in bed every morning. I wouldn't get up and start practicing. It wasn't luck that Martina won the match. Everyone has the right to believe in what they want. I personally don't believe in luck. Everything that comes comes for a reason. That reason is hard work or something else. I don't believe things just happen because the wind blows and luck just lands on you.
Q. Have you talked to your dad yet?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I haven't seen him yet.
Q. How do you think he's taking this?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess pretty good. He's 50 percent got to the finals, so.
Q. Was it distracting losing your beads at the end?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, not at all. Usually not too many come out, just four or so. Not too many usually come out.
Q. What did you change after the first set? What did you tell yourself going into the second?
VENUS WILLIAMS: The first set, she played some good shots. She would hit the ball away from me and I'd hit it right back to her which made it easy for her to win points. The second set, I just started really moving the ball around a lot more.
1999 CHASE CHAMPIONSHIPS OF THE WTA TOUR
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW YORK CITY
November 17
V. WILLIAMS/C. Martinez
6-2, 5-7, 6-4
Q. Did she change something in the second set or did you lose your concentration or what happened to turn it?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I just remember the match that Serena played against Conchita at the US Open, also, and it's like the same type. Serena lost the first set; so Serena started out a little slower than what I did. But she hits a lot of balls back. She was definitely hitting the ball better than what she usually hits in other matches; I don't know why. Usually she -- the match against Serena was not too long ago. She hit a lot of floaters, never really produced so much power. Plus, she hits a lot of short balls, but they are not the kind of short balls that sit right here; you put them away. They are so short, they are below the net and you have to kind of lift it up. So you don't have so much momentum if you're coming forward on it. Every time I came forward on it, she just hit some nice passing shots down the line. I knew she was going there, but I didn't get over there enough of the time.
Q. Did you expect to have the same trouble your sister had?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I expected to come out -- I was playing pretty good. Serena, that day, she was really playing not so well. She was just fighting herself the whole time. It was so hot, we're all sitting in the stands, "Serena, please do something." Today I didn't expect to go through the same trials.
Q. Venus, did you expect as tough a match as this, or did you expect after the first set that second set was going to be a little easier?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I didn't expect such a tough match. I haven't gone three matches in a long time. I've had one three-set match since the Open. Usually, when I get in a tough second set, I'm able to pull it out. So I was disappointed to lose that second set most of all, because usually, maybe I'll lose serve once or twice, but I find a way to get back in it, but that time, I just failed.
Q. Did you have problems with that soft, slice serve?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I think sometimes she would just sneak a serve in there that was about 50 miles an hour, and that's what I would have to watch for, and she'd just slide it in. And it's so low and I'm not ready for it and I just miss it, because who expects in professional tennis to get a serve at 50? So you don't expect that and then when it comes -- so especially when I was trying to break and trying to really move ahead in the match, I was saying, "Okay, Venus, watch out for this serve," because when it came, I was never ready very much.
Q. Do you ever see yourself doing that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No.
Q. It somehow appears that you missed some easy put-aways, and it seems that some people think that's because you're trying to make every shot a spectacular shot. Do you have any comment on that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Not that I'm trying -- it's 50 percent true. Not that I'm not trying to make every shot a spectacular shot; it's just I want to hit a winner. I don't want them to get it, and I go for the line sometimes. That can be bad. My dad says, "Venus, don't go for the line. Venus, don't go for the line." And I get in the match, and I go for the line. It's my fault, all of it.
Q. (Inaudible)?
VENUS WILLIAMS: They called it out. It was out. I served that point. I worked hard for it. I should have hit a passing shot; I didn't. I felt I hit quite a few balls that were on the line very close to it, and they were on the line; they kept calling it out. So yeah, it was out.
Q. How do you actually look at that match? Do you look at that match and feel pleased that you pulled yourself out of it, or do you feel annoyed with yourself that you had to go so long?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't appreciate that I would put myself through that. But I did come out on the top. That goes on the record. Naturally, there are some things I want to have to work on. I don't want to have to go through that again the next match. But sometimes you're going to have a tough match. Sometimes you can't avoid that, and it's knowing how to pull them out that's most important. Earlier this year, in the middle of the year, I was suffering from not being able to win my tough matches, which is not like me. So now I'm doing better with that. Sometimes it happens.
November 18
V. WILLIAMS/B. Schett
6-4, 7-6
Q. Venus, you seemed very happy after the match?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I was just -- my goal was to play better than yesterday. As long as that happened, that was okay; I didn't lose serves. I didn't take any opportunities from myself by losing a serve. Naturally, if I didn't break serve, okay. Theoretically, you're not supposed to break serve. Everyone is supposed to hold because the server has the advantage. So, I only had one break, but that's okay.
Q. Are you thinking about track and field as your next sport?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I didn't feel like going around (laughs).
Q. Do you think that gave you a psychological advantage, that you're not tired at all?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Not that I'm aware of, I don't think so. I just played a little better at the tiebreak, and it seemed like she broke down a little bit under the pressure. She just missed some shots. You can't do that in a tiebreaker because it doesn't go to deuce.
Q. Have you practiced that jump before?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I haven't jumped the net since I was so little.
Q. That was just a spontaneous thought there?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. See, I was going around. It seemed like such a long ways. She was going to beat me around the net; so, I was going to jump it.
Q. Have you ever done it before?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes, but at the end of the match, to shake the person's hand, just jump the net.
Q. Are you playing better because you played last week?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess so.
Q. In what way?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I just played regular tennis last week, not anything extraordinary. But I'm doing my best to improve every match. This is the last match of the season -- or the last tournament, and I want to work on things that I'm working on in practice, just to have momentum for next year so I can come off the year with a good feeling, and just feel like I'm going to start off the next year with the same -- the same things.
Q. Does the title mean a lot to you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Any title means a lot to me. Because, really, when you're in a tournament, it doesn't matter which one, you really don't want to lose. At least, I don't.
Q. Is this title more important?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I can't say it is because I just -- any tournament, I like winning a tournament. I like my name -- people saying "Venus wins." I like seeing the ranking go up. I like all those things. So I can't say any title is more important, because I like to win them all.
Q. What part of your game do you think you need to improve to take Lindsay and Martina next year?
VENUS WILLIAMS: My Grand Slam tennis, basically. I haven't been doing too well in them, and that's really where you can move ahead.
Q. So you think it's more mental than a part of your game that you need to work on?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Sure, definitely. Just got to -- when it comes down to doing it, taking the next step, I'm going to have to take that step. I can't be moving backwards.
Q. Do you feel like your serve was really on today?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I've been working on my serve, yeah. My serve goes up and down a lot.
Q. It seemed to really take her off of her game?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. She wasn't returning so well today. I can't exactly pinpoint why. Usually, she returns well. When I played her in Munich -- maybe it's the court, too, because it's faster and lower. The ball just goes a little lower, I guess because there isn't as much cushion under it; so the court is much harder. So I think that had a lot to do with it. I'm not returning my serve; so, I don't know.
November 20
M. HINGIS/V. Williams
6-4, 7-6(2)
Q. What happened to your back?
VENUS WILLIAMS: First, I'd like to say that I can't stay long because, obviously, I'm not feeling at my best, and questions will be limited today. It's just something I've been having for a little while now and before I played Philadelphia, and it's been escalating. And my dad advised me not to play. Naturally, as a child, I didn't listen, and now I'm going in a worse situation.
Q. Did hurt when you were serving?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, when I was serving and more backhands and forehands; so naturally that affected my serve, which is definitely a weapon. I served okay in the first few games, but then just went progressively down and all in all, I wasn't very healthy.
Q. Was it your neck or your back?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Both.
Q. Do they know what it is, Venus?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's more or less a strain.
Q. Have they told what you need to do about it?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Rest, first. I have to go to therapy and it needs strengthening.
Q. Is it the muscle back there?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, in the neck on the left-hand side, in the upper region, how do you say it, like the shoulder blade area, in that area.
Q. When did your dad advise you not to play, before the tournament?
VENUS WILLIAMS: He said, "If you're hurt don't play and if your hurt, don't practice." And I insisted on practicing and playing.
Q. The tournament or the match?
VENUS WILLIAMS: The match. But in general, he always says that. Q. Did he literally take you off the court during practice and say, "Don't play that match"?
VENUS WILLIAMS: He didn't say "Don't play that match today," but he advised me not to practice and just go out and play.
Q. How long did you practice for?
VENUS WILLIAMS: 20 minutes.
Q. And did you stop, were you hurt?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I went to sleep.
Q. Do you think now you made the right decision to play?
VENUS WILLIAMS: You can't change it. What's the difference? But next time, I will be healthy. The last two times I played Martina, I was healthy and I had some nice results. And hopefully, I'll see her in Australia.
Q. Do you think you would have been okay if you'd have played a third set?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I would have had to be okay if I wasn't okay. Eventually, I would have retired. But she played nicely. Unfortunately, I couldn't keep up with her today because of extenuating circumstances.
Q. Did you lose that match because you were hurt or because she played better?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that there were a lot of points where I was unable to get my best because I just had to slow down some, and I had to speed it up more at different times. But she did play well. She wanted to win. You know, she did some good things in the match.
Q. Was she able to take advantage by keeping those rallies long?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Probably, in general, I could rally with the best of them. I hit just as many balls as she does. The different between her game and my game is I take more risks; I'm going to go for more shots. That's the main difference.
Q. Which particular shots did it affect you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: The serve and the backhand more.
Q. Do you think that your injury was caused because of serving, because of your powerful serve? Totally unrelated?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No.
Q. She got quite a few points right off the bat, very slow pace, the slice to your forehand, slow serve -- (inaudible) you noticed that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: (Nods head.).
Q. You had such a great year this year, and you've just played your 14th match with Hingis. Would you describe your rivalry with her as exciting?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's exciting.
Q. Is there anybody else you'd put in that class?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think I play her the most.
Q. How much of a rest do you get to take now, and is this possibly going to affect whether or not you go to Australia?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think so. I don't think it's that bad. It's just pretty chronic right now. And I just have to take measures -- me and Serena, we're both in the same boat. I didn't think I was going to get here, but I did. So we're sinking a little bit.
Q. Despite being hurt, would you say it was a high-quality match?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I would say so because we both did what we could.
Q. How do you feel about your year?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think I had a good year as far as results, but as far as meeting my goals, it was a bad year in some of them.
Q. What didn't you meet?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I wanted to naturally have a higher ranking, to say the least, and naturally, take home some Grand Slams. I took home some Grand Slams, but they weren't singles. That's okay. We have something in our family when Serena wins.
Q. So are you disappointed with a No. 3 ranking?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's okay. Next year, I can only move forward. I hope so. Thank you all very much.