US OPEN

August 25, 2025

Venus Williams

Press Conference

K. MUCHOVA/V. Williams

6-3, 2-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Venus, you got off to that really slow start and then seemed to find your game. What happened there early and then when you finally got on a roll?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I definitely had a bit of a slow start, but it's not really a bad thing. I just haven't played a lot of matches, so I'm still finding everything.

I think I had a Love-40 game, and I was, like, Oh, no, not a double break (smiling). Thankfully that was avoided, at least in that set. And I was really able to start to dial into my game.

I didn't win today, but I'm very proud of how I played.

Q. How would you describe what it felt like to be back out there? It had been a couple of years.

VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, the lights are very bright out there. I don't think I've ever had a crowd that much on my side. When I lost those first two games, they were just still right there with me every point. Didn't matter if I was losing and it was starting to roll fast, they were just right there with me, and it felt great.

I knew going into this match that people in this stadium, people in the United States, people around the world were really rooting for me, and that felt great. That felt great to have that kind of support.

Q. I know you've previously said you're not planning on playing any other tournaments this year and you don't usually post-US Open, but considering the high level you played tonight and the progress you have made over the past month, is that something you might consider?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Are there any tournaments in the States? Can someone move a tournament here? I don't know that I'm willing to travel that far at this stage in my career to go play.

I love playing. The level of my game has come up so much since D.C. I tried as hard as I could to throw off any rust, but at the end of the day, there's only so much that can really be accomplished in three or four matches.

There were just some shots I missed that -- those kind of shots are about feel and less about training, and those are the kinds of things that I just couldn't stave off today.

I had a lot of returns. I was right there, and it's about the reps. Those are things that I just couldn't do today. It wasn't my fault (laughing), the best way I can put it.

Q. On your schedule, you are basically saying you have no plans?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Is there something? I don't play in high altitude either, so I won't be going to Guadalajara.

Q. The next major is in Australia, which you played well at a lot of times.

VENUS WILLIAMS: That's kind of far too (laughing).

Q. But you flew plenty in your career. You made these trips lots of times before, so...

VENUS WILLIAMS: I did. I did do it. Yeah, my goal is to do what I want to do. I wanted to be here this summer. I'm so grateful for all the folks who gave me a wild card. They could have said, Hey, listen, you've been gone too long, you haven't won a lot of matches in the last few years. I wasn't lucky with my health and with injuries.

But there were a lot of people who believed in me in these tournaments. I'm very grateful to have had that chance and that opportunity to make good on it and have a chance to really strike the ball.

I play an exciting brand of tennis. It's a lot of fun to go literally hog wild out there and hit as hard as I can. I'm happiest when I can just hit hard.

I think I played some matches in Cincinnati and D.C. where I didn't really understand how to control myself yet. So I think today was a lot better measure of, like, okay, you don't have to hit this one as hard as you can. Play a smart shot, then go for the next one, you know (laughing).

You never stop learning. I learned so much. I'm still learning about myself. When I think about the match I played against her in 2020, I was so uncomfortable. I wasn't well. I was in so much pain. Today it's night and day how much better I felt, so I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to play in feeling better, and at that rate, have a real chance.

Q. You're showing just enjoyment for what you are doing. How would you describe what you showed yourself about what you could do through that joy and through all the hard work to get here?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, my team and I, we worked as hard and as fast as we could. We literally took no days off. I haven't gone to dinner. I haven't seen friends. I haven't done anything except train for three months as hard as I could.

From each match that I didn't win, then I tried to go back and learn from that and then get better.

I don't even remember the question now, but whatever. I don't know.

Q. What you proved to yourself.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, what did I prove to myself? I think for me getting back on the court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthy. When you play unhealthy, it's in your mind. It's not just how you feel. You get stuck in your mind too. So... (tearing up) it was nice to be freer.