Venus Williams Interview
French Open, May 28
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Talk about the match. It wasobviously two days, tough opponent, very tight there in the third set.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was a well‑played match. Yesterday I think I did too many thingswrong. She just was firing for everyshot and making them.
Obviously with thedelay was a lot of things to think about beforehand, what I could do different,and just tried to be as aggressive as I could. The last two sets, you know, it was close. But these kind of matches are reallyrewarding, and she was playing well. ButI felt like like I deserved it.
Q. When you have a break like that, do you try to stay in the match untilit resumes, or try to put it out of your mind until you're close to back on thecourt?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I definitely think about it, but for the mostpart, you know, I analyze what I could could do better, and move on and getready for the next portion of the match.
I'm pretty good atcompartmentalizing. Is that the rightword? Yes.
Q. You're very good at not doubting yourself when you get to the difficultmoments like you faced today. Is thatsomething you're able to do?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, either way I'm swinging and trying toplay aggressive. You know, the moreintense the match is, the more aggressive I think I get, and I think that's agood sign for me.
You know, I have a lot towork with my serve and return and lots of good things. It gives me a chance to be confident.
Q. Last year you played into the darkness, and it didn't come out sowell. Last night when the issue came up,were you pretty relieved that the match was halted?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, I still wanted to continue, but itwas a better decision not to. There justwasn't any way to finish that set. Itwas cloudy, so it was just going to be getting darker. So it was, you know, right for both of us tostop.
Q. Also, there was a story in L'Equippe about your sister's affinity for Paris and the fact she'sbought an apartment and so forth. It wassaid you actually prefer Rome a little bit to Paris. Can you tell us why?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's a little warmer. I'm a Floridagirl, and from California, too. I'm used to the heat. I like to be warm.
Although when it's warmhere it's tough because there is no air conditioning. So it's a little, you know, little tough.
Q. Is that it, the climate?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I just like to be warm.
Q. What was your state of mind when you went to bed yesterday? And did you have a good night?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was very angry. I really wanted that tiebreaker. She just came up with shot after shot, youknow, on the line, deep, hard, you know, the best shots she could hit. I wanted the tiebreaker. I was pretty upset.
But, you know, I wounddown and I had my little dog with me. Wehad some good times and just eat dinner and watch a program and just getready. You know, nothing I could doabout that. Just get ready.
Q. Can you take us back to what you're thinking when you were serving thereand faced a match point? Are youthinking, how did I get here or how do I get out of it? What's your thought there?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I wasn't thinking. Not at all. Just ‑‑ I actually wasn't ‑‑ probably just stick to mytechnique. Rely on that. Thankfully, I wasn't thinking. It just happened, so it was great.
Q. You said that after your first match you were kind of a third‑setspecialist. Did you like what happenedin this third set today? Because thefight obviously was very tough.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, definitely used to getting a breakand running ahead and really solidifying it. But today it was very close. Sheserved well and didn't give me a lot of points. So, you know, it was just one of those matches that feels really good towin, because obviously the level of play was so high.
Obviously the thirdset, I feel like I have the advantage. But, you know, against someone playing so well, it's a challenge.
Q. We often think of you of working your way into these bigtournaments. Can you gauge at this pointsort of where your level is?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I feel very good. I feel very good. So far, I've played two players who reallyjust brought out their A game and were just attacking.
You know, I think it'sa good strategy. To just to come throughit is really good. I feel good. I'm serving good and moving well and doingwhat it takes. I'll continue on that.
As far as a level, I mean, good or bad, Istill know how to play tennis, so I don't give myself rankings. I just usually congratulate myself on doingsomething good and correct the bad and not dwell. Dwelling can kill you on the court.
Q. Speakingof suspended matches, have you ever had a doubles match that that's beensuspended so many days?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No. Imean, I've had a singles match that suspended over a middle Sunday, and thatwasn't fun. But, no. The scheduling has been a little bit strange,but we're working with it.
Q. That backhand winner you hit on the match point against you, that wasabsolutely crushed. Are you saying thatyou didn't even think about the fact that it was a match point? That you just played it? You were concentrating so much you played...
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't even remember what I thought about onthe serve and running up to that ball. Ijust hit it aggressively. I'm tall, sowhen I run up to balls my arms get in the way. So I have to be careful about not getting too close.
When you're tall,you've got a different set of issues than if you're short or medium. So it's like, okay, don't get too close. When I get too close I hit it wide. So just finding that balance and going forit.
