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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 22, 2017

Venus Williams

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

V. WILLIAMS/M. Barthel

6-3, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How sharp do you feel now not dropping a set through to the quarters? Does it feel as good as it looks?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Thank you. I hope so. I mean, at this point of the tournament, you want to feel good and you want to feel like you're doing everything perfectly.

But really, at the end of the day, it's about walking to the net, shaking hands as the winner. However that happens, two sets or three sets, that's how I want to walk to the end, as a winner.

Q. You had an arm issue that kept you out of doubles and kept you out of Auckland, how are you feeling at this level?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It was just not ideal to start the year like this, and it was a ton of anxiety, to be honest.

I'm really, really excited to be here in this tournament (smiling). You know, I never withdraw. I really don't.

It was extenuating circumstances in Auckland. I'm very happy to be here and, like, hitting the ball and hitting it in.

Q. How is it feeling, though?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. I feel good. Thanks. Thanks. Yeah.

Q. Do you ever think about what you could achieve here in Melbourne and potentially coming up against your sister again in the final?
VENUS WILLIAMS: That could hopefully happen. We both still have to work very hard to get there. Today I played a qualifier, and she hardly ever missed. So it doesn't matter who you come up against, they are coming and they want to win, too. They have nothing to lose.

I'm going to be focused on winning one round at a time and focus on doing what it takes to be there.

Q. Are you able to appreciate reaching the quarterfinal more these days, or is it always next match, next match, next match for you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Next match, for sure. Because, I mean, I think the first time I played this tournament I reached the quarterfinals. So I have done this.

This is where you want to be, because you set yourself up to move forward, but this is not the end-all for me. This is not "the" end goal.

Q. Some people talk about your longevity in the sport as being remarkable. Do you see that as sort of the dominant narrative of what you're doing right now? What do you see as the best part of what you're continuing to achieve?
VENUS WILLIAMS: The best part? I don't know. I don't sit back and think about the best part. Usually I'm in the middle of "a" part. So I'm pushing forward to the future, and the past is something that I learn from and not something I dwell on.

So that is how I see things. But honestly, it's just good scheduling, you know. Throughout my whole career, I have never overplayed. And I think that saves you mentally and physically.

Q. So when you take the luxury of sitting back and thinking and you're not thinking about -- what are you thinking?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Right now, quarterfinals, what I need to achieve, and how I want to play. Taking that opportunity and seeing it as an opportunity.

Q. How much was the sun affecting your serve at times today?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It was pretty rough. It's not easy serving in the sun.

The cycle of the sun is different here, down under. Normally you're not serving in the sun in quite the same way as other places, so it's an adjustment. And I typically play around that time, so it is a challenge.

But it's not unsurmountable.

Q. Next challenge, Pavlyuchenkova, you have played five times. You know her well. Tell us what that match would be like?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I know her game. I have played a lot of matches this tournament kind of not knowing what to expect. That can be a little -- it's a whole different approach.

Now I have played her. I know what to expect. So I can almost already be settled in before I get to that match. So it's a good thing.

Q. One of the great things about your career is that you played all these incredible champions over the years in addition to playing Serena, but of all the great champions you have played, Steffi, Monica, Lindsay, Kim, Justine, who would you say would be the toughest?
VENUS WILLIAMS: All of them? (Smiling.) It took a lot to beat every single one of them. You couldn't slouch around. All of them could sit here today, if they wanted to, I think, and still be playing this game. That's the best part, that they were just that good.

Q. Was there any particular stroke, whether it was Graf's forehand or Monica's disguise, Justine's backhand, that gave you a particular challenge?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think really at that point it's just the level of competition. Like when you go out there, you know they are going to compete every single point and that you have to be just mentally there.

So against those players, that's what it was. It was, like, wow, you know you can't let go.

Q. First time you played here, what do you remember about your second-round match against Serena that first time you two played on tour?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think it was the first time we played each other. I remember making less errors than her. Yeah. I think I was a little more experienced than she was at the time.

It was probably overwhelming for her to play. She's the younger sister. Older sister is supposed to win.

I never asked her about that match. Maybe I'll ask her now, though.

Q. What do you remember of Karsten Braasch from that tournament?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Q. Was that fun when you look back?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Q. You mentioned how champions could still be here. You're obviously still going, playing longer than many thought you might. What do you think of Mirjana Lucic being in the second week of this tournament? She was somebody in your generation of upcoming teens in the late '90s, doing better than she has in a long time this week. What are your early memories of her and still seeing her out here?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, she's putting in the work. She's putting in the work. She's paid the price. She deserves to be here.

You know, as a player, you see people working hard, on the court, in the gym. Clearly that's what she's done, and the belief has never wavered that she deserves to be here, her own belief. So it's wonderful to see her get the results.

Q. In terms of extending your own career, is there anything you have done differently in recent years when it comes to diet, health, fitness, workouts, changes you have made that have worked well for you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think I just pretty much spend the same amount of time in the gym as I do on the court. I don't spend a ton of time on the court, I think, compared to a lot of other players. But the gym time is very important to, you know, try to remain uninjured, which is always a challenge when you're testing your body to the limit all the time.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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