1998
Lipton at Key Biscayne FL.
V. WILLIAMS/M. Hingis
6-2, 5-7, 6-2
Q. Well, what were you thinking on all those match points going out the window?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I was just much too tight and I was much too pumped, I suppose. I suppose I got much too high. After I lost that game, it was like, "Wow, how could I have done that?" But I'm not the type of player that gives up. She happened -- I happened to play bad in the next couple games. She played better. But then in the next set, I was ready to go. So it was very sad that I had to do that, but in the end, I still prevailed.
Q. That what makes your matches between you and Martina so interesting, neither one of you are willing to give up? Is that interesting to play, too?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes. I think a lot of the players aren't willing to give up. I think we, especially, show a lot of heart and a lot of desire. So it really makes it interesting; it helps the game when all the people are watching on the outside, TV, looking at it in the papers.
Q. Did you leave some beads behind on the court for her?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I didn't leave any pearls for her this time.
Q. What was it she was picking up then?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. Probably was some of my beads. I think it was the blue ones. It's been so long since I've had my hair done, the rubber bands on the end, they kind of get so weak that they break. Always making repairs. I'm going to take my hair down, do it over after this tournament. I haven't bothered to put them back, the beads.
Q. Venus, because of the way that you beat her, do you see this as the major turning point in your own career?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I don't know. I think my career's been turning for a long time now. I don't think it's a major turning point in my career. I believe that I was tired of losing in ridiculous ways. I knew I was a better player. It's okay to lose. It's okay. But just to go out and to lose 6-Love, things of that nature, and to play badly, that's different. If you go out there playing your best, you lose, say, "You won this time, that's great." To go out there and play bad in the past, that's unacceptable for me.
Q. Do you think when you lost the second set after three match points, do you think about your sister's game, which also had a chance, having two match points against Martina?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes. We're totally different people. Totally different hearts. Totally different day. Very different match. So, therefore, I believe I still would come through. I don't go out there thinking that I'm going to lose. I go out there ready to play. Even though you miss opportunities, they always come again. You just have to create them. So I couldn't go back to those match points. I couldn't get them back. She wasn't going to give them to me. That was over with. So I just had to go on. But I did develop a headache, because I got sick, it was sickening. I said, "Oh, my gosh." When I went up 1-Love in the third, I got a headache and I was sick.
Q. Has that happened to you before?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I'm just exaggerating (laughter). I wasn't sick. I say that a lot.
Q. Venus, what, if anything, did she hurt you with?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Pardon me?
Q. What, if anything, can she hurt you with?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think one of Martina's strong points is she's consistent and she'll try to move the ball around. A lot of times the girls aren't their best moving and hitting at the same time. I believe for Serena and I it's a strong point. We can hit. Actually, this time last year I was not able to do that so well because I was tall and I was unable to move laterally efficiently. I worked on that. But now, Serena and I are doing much better. But going back to her strong points. She hates to lose. That's something that really helps her to win all the time, to be a good winner.
Q. When she pulled back to 5-5 in that second set, the next game, you lost that very quickly.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.
Q. Can you tell us what was going on?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I was lazy. Just totally lazy. I wasn't moving my feet. Especially for someone my height, you do have to get in position because you're tall. You have to work a little harder to get into position. I got lazy. I was like, "Venus, you're being lazy." At that point she probably got a little confidence, closed it out.
Q. Were you disappointed during that game that you had let her get back in?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. I actually wasn't feeling so great that I had done that. But there was nothing I could do about it now. I just have to move on.
Q. Venus, do you find that you talk to yourself a lot while you're on the court?
VENUS WILLIAMS: In the past, I did not. But starting actually this year in Sydney, because in the past sometimes I would lose matches because I didn't have enough fight. I didn't give up, but I didn't really fight. So I felt that if I had to talk to myself and things of that nature, just to win, then maybe that's what I had to do. So starting Sydney, that's what I do now.
Q. And you found it's helped?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Sometimes. Sometimes you can get too excited and too high and too tight. And that's not so good either. You're not able to hit. Depends what kind of person you are.
Q. What were you saying to yourself out there?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Just, "Come on, let's go." Sometimes in the middle of a point, I'd realize, say, "Venus, wait a minute, you're coming up too high. How tall are you, Venus? You have to stay down." Different things like that.
Q. You live in South Florida. Does this make it special? What does the mean going to the finals?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I feel good going to the finals. I've played a lot this week. I'm out of school now, so I don't have to go to school or be behind anymore, as I was in the past. So it feels good. Everyone here gets to see me that reads about me in the paper when I'm overseas or away out of state. I like playing here.
Q. You said your career hasn't turned. Do you think you sort of arrived, you go up to the Top 10 --
VENUS WILLIAMS: I haven't arrived yet; I'm just coming, on my way.
Q. Venus, did you and Serena talk a little bit before this match about playing Martina?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes. I played her much more than Serena, I believe six times now, more than I played anyone else. Serena gave me one pointer that really helped me, which I will not disclose to y'all for fear that it will appear in the papers and over television (laughter). That really helped me in the end. What was the question?
Q. If you talked about playing her.
VENUS WILLIAMS: In the past, actually starting in Australia, I said to Serena, "If you can't do it for me, do it for you, do it for me." She was actually losing this one match, a particular player in the Top 10, she was down 1-6, 2-5. She said she saw me getting dressed and stretching. She got so sad because she was losing in under an hour. She said she did it for me. This time when I lost the second set, I found that I had to do it for her. That's my soliloquy.
Q. Venus, your record is about 20-3 this year. Something very similar to Martina. You've beaten her two out of three this year. Is it fair for you to think you've caught her yet?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I guess you couldn't really say it's fair. I don't have the same ranking she has. But I believe I'm progressing. I don't think that players actually go out and say, "I'm catching up, I've caught you, I have so many accomplishments." I think they always want to do better and always just stay on top. I don't keep a record or count of what she's doing, what I'm doing. It's best to concentrate on me, sometimes Serena, too, if she's not concentrating.
Q. Is she playing as well as she did last year?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Martina?
Q. Yes.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, maybe. I think that sometimes it's probably not so easy to be on top and you're only about 17, everyone knows that you've won in the past, wants you to win now, expects you to win. So sometimes it can probably play a toll on someone. Even if she's not as good as she was last year, I think she's doing real good. I've never been in that position. I don't have anything to defend. I think that whatever she does, I think everyone should accept that.
Q. Was your father flashing some signs to you there? It looked like it, but we were too far away.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know.
Q. He had a cardboard.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Pardon me?
Q. He had a big sign in his hand or piece of paper before the match. But no one could see what it said.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I never saw this.
Q. At the beginning of the match.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, I don't look at my parents so much.
Q. Thought maybe you knew what it was.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm going to get the tape so I can see.
Q. Didn't show it on the tape.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I didn't see that.
Q. Venus, did you say you were done with school?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes.
Q. You graduated?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes.
Q. When did that happen?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I was doing some math because I felt that I should do some algebra, too. At one point I was in the class, but I was unable to keep up to gain the knowledge, so I had to pull out and get in algebra one, then geometry. I took basics, too.
Q. So you're done with school?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm done.
Q. For the year?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Forever. High school.
Q. Did you graduate and when?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Not a ceremony. I didn't want one. I go to a small, private school. The teacher asked if I wanted a ceremony, but I didn't want it. I never graduated from kindergarten or the sixth grade or middle school or anything. I never had a graduation, never.
Q. Are you going on for any college?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm going to go to maybe summer school, college, things of that nature. I don't think it's possible for me to actually go full-time during the fall and winter terms. I don't think it's realistic, unless I choose to forget my tennis career. I don't think I'm going to do that right now. I'm working too hard.
Q. Did you graduate in December or January? How recent was it?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I was kind of on my own pace, just completing some things. Now I'm just finished all the way.
Q. Did your emotion at the end of the match say you're No. 1?
VENUS WILLIAMS: What was I doing?
Q. (Indicating.)
VENUS WILLIAMS: I do that all the time (indicating). You know, it's a little dance. I don't do a full dance on court. Maybe after I win a Slam or something of that nature.
Q. Are you holding that up for No. 1?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's because my finger is so long, when I put my hand up, it just protrudes (laughter).
Q. Venus, how were you feeling when Martina left the court after the first game in the third set?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I thought it was really great. I thought it was really great I got a break and had a chance to think things over. I was saying to myself -- I was very calm at that point. Really, it surprised me that she was taking breaks, because she did it against Serena. She did it against me before. Didn't bother me at all, because people have taken breaks on me before. I think it gives me a chance to regroup, especially since I'm more experienced at this point. So, I guess she got the job done, whatever she was doing.
Q. What's happening over there with your knee? Anything in particular? Precaution?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Really, nothing's really happening.
Q. Why the bandage, for effect?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think it looks real nice, actually.
Q. The crowd was very much behind you today. I was wondering how much that helped you in the third set? You played to it very well also.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I was feeling pretty good in the third. I was just so relaxed in the third. In the points, I was kind of walking to the ball, too. Serena does the walk, she's always walking. Mom would say, "If that girl would stop walking, she would be so good." I was doing the Serena walk (laughter). I was actually serving to go up 3-Love. I was just so nonchalant at that point. I won the game, went up to 4-Love, lost serve. At that point it really didn't matter to me.
March 28
Championship mattch
V. WILLIAMS/A. Kournikova
2-6, 6-4, 6-1
An interview with:
VENUS WILLIAMS
Q. Where did your dance originate from?
VENUS WILLIAMS: That's my dance. I'm doing it all the time, when I'm practicing, or when Serena and I are together. I didn't do the full thing. You guys will never see that (laughter).
Q. Was your knee bothering you? Were you limping?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was having some problems, I guess, starting late in the second set. But I was able to pull the third out. I don't think it affected me so much.
Q. How do you think you played that first set?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I really wasn't ready to play at all. Might as well just have been someone else. I think that Anna played well also. I think she really came out there with a plan, a plan to win the Lipton. And I wasn't really prepared for that. But slowly I adjusted to it and I was able to come through.
Q. Her plan was the slicing, lots of slicing?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes. Since I'm so tall, I guess I had the wrap on my knee, maybe she thought she should slice, keep it in play, let me rush. I wasn't so comfortable in the first sets. That was a good plan.
Q. Your first serve didn't come too well at the beginning?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. Sometimes I like to hit big ones, sometimes I don't. It just depends.
Q. The speed?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Sometimes the pace isn't always effective. If you mix it up more, sometimes people don't like the spin so much, especially the shorter girls.
Q. Anna said that you didn't beat her; she lost. What would be your response to that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that usually when people do lose, they beat themselves generally. The story of every match when someone loses, the person makes more errors. When I lose, or when Anna lost today, made more errors than what I did. I think you have to hit some winners, but you also have to make errors to lose a match.
Q. She was tired, obviously, in the third set. Did you feel tired, too? You seemed a little bit down.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, if I was tired, it wasn't really important because I had time to be tired after the match was over with. I think that she was tired at the beginning of the second. She looked very tired. So I felt that I should just keep the ball in play.
Q. You're down a set and a break. Are you concerned? Are you worried? What are you going through there?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes, I was very concerned. I was concerned that if I didn't change, things were going to go too quickly for me. I was saying, "Wow, Venus, come on. How can I be doing this?" I couldn't believe I was playing this way. This looked like the old Venus. I used to bomb out. Not because she's a bad player, but because she didn't know how to play in certain occasions. I pulled my receive together, said, "Venus, come on."
Q. What did you change?
VENUS WILLIAMS: What did I change? Hey, how is it going?
Q. All right.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I was hitting a lot of errors. She was just slicing and slicing. I was hitting errors, rushing, not having too much confidence in my shots. I was also nervous, too. In the end, I was like, "This has to change, there's no need for this." So I just put more balls in play.
Q. Venus, what was the feeling winning the Lipton?
VENUS WILLIAMS: At that point, I was kind of tired and ready for the match to be over with. I felt there was no way I could lose serve. I think she played a good game at 5-Love. She stepped up and hit some winners. But there was no way I was going to lose serve in that game.
Q. You made two racquet changes during this match. Why?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Because my strings always breaking. They break. For maybe an hour they last. I didn't want my strings to break at any important point, so I was changing the racquets more often.
Q. They had not broken at that time?
VENUS WILLIAMS: They weren't broken at that time.
Q. You could see they were starting to fray?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes. I didn't want to lose a point because of that.
Q. Venus, can we say that today is one of the most happiest days of your life?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm very happy. I've had happier days for more occasions.
Q. After beating Martina Hingis twice this year, now winning your first match with Anna Kournikova, what is your impression of the youngsters in the game, like yourself? What is your impression of the way they play?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I played all of the younger girls, including one girl named Serena Williams. They all have their different games and the different things they play. I think it's a good sign for the future because if it hadn't been me in the finals, it would have been Martina, or it would have been Serena. So it was going to be a teenage final, especially with Anna pulling her end in the bottom draw. I think that was good. Everyone was exposed to the new girls.
Q. You have been referred to as the Tiger Woods of tennis. How do you respond to that? How do you feel about that, especially your impact on the younger generation?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Generally, I don't think -- it doesn't really motivate me. I think it gives a good analogy for people who might not follow tennis to feel or to understand what I am for tennis. I suppose that's what I feel it means.
Q. Venus, does it feel more special to win in your hometown, here in Miami, family and everything?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes, yes. My teachers got to come, some people who goes to our congregation, my trainer. Everybody got to come and see me win. I'm like, "I can't be losing in front of all of my friends."
Q. Are you aware of your dad holding up signs throughout the match?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I saw this time. Last time I didn't see at all. This time I was able to see.
Q. What do you think of that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that I guess that's what he wanted to do (laughter).
Q. Are you embarrassed by it at all?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I don't get embarrassed at all.
Q. Are you surprised he didn't pay more attention to your match than making these signs?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, usually he isn't here. So that was good enough for me.
Q. Venus, Anna kind of characterized your draw in this tournament as being a little bit easier than hers. Your response to that? At the same time, did you kind of think, "She has had an awful lot of tough matches, maybe there was a chance of wearing her down in the final because of that"?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I think in my part of the draw, two of the seeds pulled out. Also she played a lot of the players in the Top 10, I believe about four. I think no matter what, you're going to play matches, people are going to want to win against you. I think it was good she got to play all those players, to have victories over them. In the end, I think that's insignificant, because you just have to play in each round. Sometimes people get on fire and you have to extinguish that, no matter who they are. So I think it's good that Anna was able to play well all the way here and to play all the players. I had, I suppose, a little more easier matches sometimes.
Q. Before you said you were progressing. Do you think now you have arrived with this victory?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm coming. Don't rush me. I'm not here yet (laughter).
Q. Where is your next tournament, Venus?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm playing Amelia Island, not this week, but next week.
Q. How much therapy do you need on this MCL problem?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think I just need some rest. I played three tournaments in a row now. That's generally what I don't do. So I'm going to take some rest. I don't think it's so bad. I think it was just wear and tear, where I haven't had as much recuperation time as I would like. I think it will be good.
Q. Venus, the other day Hingis said she felt for many years she was the hunter, and she's become the hunted. Do you feel that way today, that you had changed into the role of being the hunted one with Anna, trying to be the hunter?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Not really, no. I don't feel that way at all. I suppose as my ranking improves, maybe I'll feel like that. But, no.
Q. Since the U.S. Open final last year, you appear to have learned an awful lot about tactics, general strategy, sort of thinking your game through. Is that a fair comment?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes. Ever since beginning of the Open, my first round match, I was losing in the first set. I was like, "Oh, no, not again. First round loss in the Slams." I managed to come through in that. Ever since that, I was able to change my game when I'm losing. Today I think I did also. Usually I have a powerhouse game, hitting a lot of winners and step up. I felt that wasn't working today. Anna was determined to run down a lot of balls and slice them back. If I wasn't going to come up to the net, at least I could raise the ball. I have different games. If I have to play them, that's what I do.
Q. What specifically can you take away from this final compared to the other finals that you played? What will you remember this final for?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm not sure yet. It's kind of hard to say. It was 20 minutes ago. I guess I'll look back and think about it, as a good time, like the fifth biggest tournament. Pretty happy about that.
Q. Was there another step, though, that you took in this final?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think so. Because I won a tournament before, but it wasn't the largest. Here in the semifinals, I could have lost there if I hadn't been serious. Sometimes you get to the semifinals, quarterfinals, and you just have to make that extra step so you can make the extra step in the larger tournaments, like the Slams. If you don't, then you just keep going out in the semifinals. Then you have never made it to the finals, to win the tournament. So here, I think I was able to win and feel what it's like to win. I think that really will help me in the future, especially this year.
Q. Venus, does this title feel better than the first title?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think they feel the same. I was happy. Serena won the doubles there. This time I played so bad in doubles, it was unbelievable. We had so many leads. We just wasn't able to pull it together. We aren't that sad. It was only our sixth doubles tournament. But I'm very happy about both of my titles. I would never give any of them up.
Q. Do you have plans for this $235,000?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I was trying to figure out how much I won. I didn't know. I was looking at the points, win or lose today, I was No. 10. Now I'll be closer to No. 9, is how I look at it. I'm not going to do anything with it. I'm going to put it in the bank. Buy my dogs a collar.
Q. What is it like for your family, you, your sister, your dad? Is this like a whole big family celebration?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes. Because when I win, everyone wins. Serena wins, my mom wins. It's just good for all of us. It helps Serena, too, because when I win, I can tell her what I did to win, what kind of experiences I had on the court. It helps her a lot, so she'll know what to do. "Serena, don't do this, because I almost lost, or I did lose, please don't do this." It really helps her.
Q. What did your dad say after the match?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I don't remember.
Q. Did he write it on the sign?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think so. At this point, he's going to do that next.
Q. Did you plan to go up and see your mother if you won, or was that a spur of the moment thing?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I just went to go see her because I was pretty happy at that point. It was spur of the moment. I didn't plan it at all.
Q. Where are you learning most of your stuff from, as your game is taking on different shades, you're able to do more things? Is it something you learn out on the Tour or from working with people specifically? Who are the architects?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think it's just from listening to my parents. When you listen to them, it really helps because I had to change my game a little bit in this match after the first set. It was something my dad had told me before, the day before, and today also. If I was having trouble, then to do this, to do that. That's exactly what I did. If he hadn't told me that or if I hadn't listened, things might not have gone the way they had today. So my parents are my coaches, they really help me get there. I have to listen, too. I'm going to do my best to keep doing that.
Q. Are you planning to play Eastbourne before Wimbledon this year?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes, I will be there.
Q. Just the one week, week of practice? The week before Wimbledon, you'll be just practicing?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know quite the schedule. Is there a week?
Q. There's two weeks between the French.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm going home after the French.
Q. Sorry?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm going home after the French.
WTA: I'd like to introduce Cliff Buchholz who is going to make a brief presentation to Venus.
CLIFF BUCHHOLZ: Venus, you're going to receive a lot of trophies, crystals, also probably a lot of money. But it's a little unusual to receive a portrait of yourself. It's been a first for the Lipton. We have our own artist in residence, contemporary sports artist from Denver, Colorado, Malcolm Farley. A portrait of Venus in action.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Thank you. I'm speeding (laughter).
CLIFF BUCHHOLZ: Venus, well done. Thank you.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Thank you.
US Open
September 11
L. DAVENPORT/V. Williams
6-4, 6-4
Q. Did you ever feel like you were in the match?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, sure. In the first set, I had all types of opportunities, just a matter of capitalizing on them. I think she did a better job of that today. She was more consistent, and ready to win.
Q. Did you find her a little bit overpowering in the second set?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that she was stepping into her balls well. She's probably been practicing using her power to her best advantage. And she's one of the more powerful players on the tour. So it's important to use what you have.
Q. Mary Carillo was saying on the television that she thought your problem was still a lack of experience compared to these other women. Could you comment on that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, it could be. Maybe like a year from now I'll admit it. But I think in the end, I should be able to play, too. I've been practicing. I should be able to come out and play ball. If I'm not ready, I should stay home.
Q. Other than just missed opportunities, what went wrong with your game today?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that I was a little bit off balance. I just was unable to basically take the opportunities, because they were there, there for the taking. I said, "No, thank you." Pushed them away.
Q. Can you say why?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Pardon me?
Q. Can you say why? Was it mentally?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, no. I think I made some errors, but I did try. I wasn't on the top of my game today. Definitely know I can play better, it's a definite.
Q. Was your knee bothering you at all today?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. The tape just came off. I started to get it retaped, but I didn't think it would stick. But I didn't need any injury time-out, I was fine.
Q. How well did Lindsay play?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think she played very well. I think that she had some bad areas in the match, but she was still able to come through, whereas I wasn't. I have to tell myself the truth so I can move onto better days. So that way it won't take me 5, 10, 15 or not at all to move ahead.
Q. Was the bathroom break a way of taking away some momentum?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, not at all. Self-explanatory.
Q. What's your perception of the way that Lindsay has upgraded her game in the last year or two?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I guess she's been pro for a little while now, like seven years or so. She definitely feels that she has the potential to be the best, just like anyone on the tour who wants to compete. So she's stepping up her game before it's too late. You don't want to be 25 or 26 before you can start reaching your best. You just want it now, do your best throughout your whole career. That's probably what she's feeling.
Q. Do you think anyone returns your serve better than Lindsay?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think today she was returning very well. But also I don't think my placement was so good either, because if you're going to hit a ball that fast, you should at least place it, you shouldn't just say, "Here it is." But definitely she was returning better than what I was today.
Q. You said, "If I'm not ready, I should stay home." Did you feel you weren't ready?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Maybe I should have stayed in the hotel (laughter). I think I was ready today, but I don't think I should blame it on lack of experience. If you give someone a racquet, they should be able to use it. I didn't use mine that well today.
Q. Did you have a particular game plan coming in?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that my game plan was to be consistent and to try to take control of the points.
Q. How do you think tomorrow's match will shape up between the two of them?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. Can't tell you. I won't be there, so (laughter). Unless I run on the court (laughter).
Q. With your seventh dress?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.
Q. Will you watch it?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. Probably be on a plane or something.
Q. What's the plans now for the future, remainder of this year?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm entered in three more tournaments overseas. Also, I think I will be attending the Chase Championships. I see no way where I could be ousted. And probably I'll play the Grand Slam Cup, probably.
Q. How do you look at your Grand Slam record this year? Are you pleased with it? Like to improve?
VENUS WILLIAMS: For sure I would like to have improved. I think there was definitely some winnable matches that I played that I didn't win. But like this year in the Slams, I got to the quarterfinals or better. Got to the semifinals here. I really have to work harder on being better.
Q. Last year you might have been a bit surprised to make it to the finals. This year you were expected to make the finals. Do you feel this is a big disappointment for you now?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I can't be disappointed. I can't spend my time being disappointed. I can spend my time planning for the next session.
Q. Conversely, along those lines, is there any chance at having to go through a couple of trials by fire, experiencing a little frustration and disappointment, might actually in the long run be beneficial for you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, yeah, sure. What is this, my seventh Grand Slam? I haven't been through too many trials. I still have some to go through. But I'm trying to get myself together, more or less.
Q. When you play Lindsay, do you feel like you can win cross-court forehand exchanges or do you think she's just a step ahead of you in that department?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think she might step into the ball more than what I do. I think I choose to use more topspin, and she uses the topspin also, but she flattens it out a little bit more. If I'm going to go cross-court, then I should definitely feel that I can stay in there with the person. If I don't, then maybe I should go down the line, hit a backhand.
Q. Do you feel like you can stay in there with her?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I do.
Q. Even though it's a lesser finish than last year, do you feel you are a better player, looking back?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes, I think I'm a better -- this year or last year?
Q. This year, do you think you're a better player, even though you didn't go as far in the tournament?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I definitely think I'm a better player. I didn't go backwards any at all.
Q. What do you think of the crowds here at The Open, the New York crowds, how they receive you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think the crowds are great, definitely.
Q. Do you have any sense of being a favorite here, that the crowds are in favor of you in most of your matches?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.
Q. So what did you think of this different dress for each match experience? Do you think you'll do it again?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think I'm deeply saddened that I didn't have the opportunity to wear my seventh dress.
Q. Will you send that one to the Hall of Fame?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm actually going to put that one in a coffin and bury it. It was red, white and blue. Of course, matching hair and nails. Maybe I could have got a new piece of jewelry for it, too. Who knows?
Q. Would you say she's a better player than you this year, Lindsay?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I would say she's had better results than what I have, have had. I haven't won a tournament since March.
Q. Am I supposed to translate that as a yes, she is a better player, or just she's had better results?
VENUS WILLIAMS: She has had better results this year.
Q. What part of your game do you still have to work on? Do you have to work on everything?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that I'm pretty solid right now. I think I have to just become a better player, make better decisions. Like today, I played okay, but I could have played better. I should really be able to bring my game up, especially at certain points in the match. And I'm getting much better at that as the time goes on. Just have to keep improving. That's all that you can do.
Q. Is there any time frame, when you're looking at No. 1? You were saying earlier in the year you hoped very soon you might be No. 1.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think no matter what I do this year, I don't think I could be No. 1, if I won every tournament that I entered. It's not plausible this year, I don't think. Just depends, you know, who loses points. I don't know. But it could happen this year. I think I just need to concentrate on each match.
Q. At what point in your life would you like to go off and live on your own, be a completely independent person in that sense?
VENUS WILLIAMS: What are you saying?
Q. Sorry?
VENUS WILLIAMS: What are you saying?
Q. You live with your parents now.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes.
Q. Have you thought about a date or a time in your life, generally speaking, where you'd want to go off and live by yourself, begin your own life by yourself?
VENUS WILLIAMS: You mean, like by myself or with a dog or with Serena?
Q. Never mind. Get your own place, basically.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I'm getting older. I guess it's an option. I'm legally able to make decisions on my own at this age. I don't know. I'll live with Serena. We'll live together.