WIMBLEDON

July 1, 2002

Venus Williams

Q. You looked like you were moving a lot better today than Saturday. Could you talk about that.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I was just trying to improve as the tournament goes on. I saw that I was moving not as fast as I could on Saturday, so just trying to get my feet moving.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Just fighting for the point, that's all. Just competing.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm just feeling better about keeping my unforced errors down. Just trying to play some controlled tennis, get a nice result, get into the quarterfinals.

VENUS WILLIAMS: It's definitely nice knowing that I've won the tournament before, have the experience. I know what it takes to win here. That's nice. So I think I have a lot going for me with that. I am the only player in the draw who has won here maybe.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, not at all, never a danger of overconfidence. I feel that going into a Grand Slam, anyone can have a great day, anyone can come out loose, feeling great, give me a lot of trouble. So today it was nice that I played well.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Definitely want to. I've served well already. I don't want to be thrown off. Definitely in the doubles, too, working on my serve. And actually doubles has helped my volleys a lot. That's one of the reasons why I came in so much today because I feel confident on my volleys.

VENUS WILLIAMS: The French Open, I was hoping for the best, and the best never came (laughter).

VENUS WILLIAMS: It hasn't been easy, especially with all the wrist problems I've had. It's too much vibration, too much tension on my wrist. But now that I've gotten better -- especially with the little injury I had in Rome, too, I couldn't play doubles in the French Open. So if I can just recover with my wrist, then play more doubles.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I love the doubles. Serena and I, we love the doubles competition. I guess you can see how much fun we have out there.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Definitely high effort. That's one thing you can admire about Lisa. You could see that in the second set she kept searching for a way to get into the match, try some serve and volleys, try some more approach shots, play the backhand more, try something different. And that's one thing I respected about her. She was always trying a different avenue to get into the match.

VENUS WILLIAMS: What's the difference between -- the knowledge level?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Just maybe confidence a little higher. Knowing that you've been there, players in the draw who have never won a Grand Slam before, so they're striving their best to make it happen here for the first time; whereas I have the experience to have done it before.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think, more than anything, I just am always able to step up and play my best tennis when it counts a lot better than what I was a few years ago.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Her?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, because I think that she realized that I have some great passing shots. Off of her serve, also, I can get a good hit on it. Force her to hit a low volley or even pass her a few times. I did expect her to play from the baseline. I only played her once before and she played mostly from the baseline.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I was just trying to take the ball early. If she's going to slice, maybe I'll take it out of the air and beat her to it.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think it's important for me to play well and for me to feel like when I walk off the court that I've played well, more than anything. Definitely the last match I would have liked to have played better. But today was very solid. Going into the quarterfinals, is good.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. Yesterday was a long day, though. Today, I was glad it came.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Sure, I think so. Lisa's definitely a great volleyer. The best part is that she can rely on her volley game and her groundstroke game either way. But I think the best way to play on the grass is to come forward and to play aggressive.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, not at all.

VENUS WILLIAMS: She's definitely a great person. When you look at her, she's just a great athlete more than anything. She can hit great shots from any position. That's one thing that I think has made her so good. You know, she's a much better athlete than a lot of the players out there.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know as a person. Seems like a funny person.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. Who am I playing?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Likhovtseva?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, okay. Well, I did play her here last year, like the third round maybe. She plays a nice game; deep and somewhat flat. So every ball that I get, I'm just going to get on top of it.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I always enjoy the hard court season because it's nice to get back on the hard courts. I always love going back to California. So maybe that's why I play well. I don't know.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I would like to. I've had two great years, and I couldn't ask for more. But I will (laughter).

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I'll definitely wear it again in doubles. But right now I feel good.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I didn't scratch it. Just a little sore, that's all. Just for prevention.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Just a lot of focus. I'm just trying to remember where I was at last year and the year before mentally. That's what I try to focus in on, try to be the same person that I was those past two years.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Just -- I think if I'll be tired or not - mentally mostly - and if I'll be able to be there that whole week basically. I like playing Fed Cup always, but I always try to think about when it comes around to that week, will I want to be there.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Uh-huh. We've always had a great experience. Especially when we played the first year, won the whole thing, that was real nice. Also the fact that we never played on a team environment, that was nice also because, sure, we played in doubles, but it was still Serena and I. It was nice to be with other players.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Maybe. I don't know. I hope.

VENUS WILLIAMS: It could be everything. I mean, I am quite tall. Sometimes I wonder how I look to my opponent on the other side of the net (laughter). I probably look like I can just reach out and cover anything maybe.

VENUS WILLIAMS: It was so disappointing. I just didn't want to win.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I can't say that, no.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I haven't really actually played a grass court player. I think Serena played Els Callens the other day. I think she was a good grass court player. Maybe Nathalie Tauziat.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Not the same category. But I didn't consider Steffi a grass court player. I considered her a champion, sure. She never really came in, never served and volleyed. I don't think that was exactly grass court tennis.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Not that I want -- I didn't do what it took to win.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Just missing, just not stepping up. But that was years ago. I'm a different person. I don't even know who that was anymore.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. My memory goes back to like about '89. I remember a few matches from then. But most players from when I remember have been mostly baseliners.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Uh-huh. I never played her, though.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, sure.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'd like to serve and volley more, I suppose, on the grass or on the hard, come in more. But I think my game is at the baseline. That's where I was taught.