home jobs contact us
Our Clients:
Browse by Sport
Find us on ASAP sports on Facebook ASAP sports on Twitter
ASAP Sports RSS Subscribe to RSS
Click to go to
Asaptext.com
ASAPtext.com
ASAP Sports e-Brochure View our
e-Brochure

SONY ERICSSON OPEN


March 29, 2009


Venus Williams


KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA

V. WILLIAMS/A. Groenefeld
7-5, 6-3


THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I'm writing a book entitled, The Intangibles of Tennis, and I wondered if you could recall when you reached your first Wimbledon final against Lindsay Davenport.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.

Q. When you were going on court, what went through your mind, what did you think? Can you recall?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I was obviously so focused, but I was determined to win that match. It was my turn. No one else was getting it. And I think the match count was I had three wins, she had nine.

Q. This was in 2000 you're talking about?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes. Head to head. I didn't care if she had 1000. It was my turn.

Q. That's what you felt?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I went in pretty positive.

Q. When you were walking on the court, on the center court.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I have no idea what I was thinking at that point. Probably just reviewing last-minute strategies.

Q. Okay. May I give you this from last night?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Okay. Thank you.

Q. During the years, your development, you've developed this inner strength that comes across. Whenever you do something that you're not happy with, you immediately make eye contact with your father on the court. Can you explain that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't agree with that. I hardly look up to my box. Rarely.

Q. No, not recently, not over the last few...
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I've never been a box person. On the court -- I like to do my own thing. If anything, if too much noise comes from the box it bothers me.
So I've always been really independent on the court. That has been my attitude.

Q. I've noticed that. Now, your father, of course, has said recently that he doesn't have the nerve to watch you when you're playing in the game. Tell me about it. What is your reaction to that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Ah, yeah, his whole heart is in it. He gets a little bit nervous. It's easy when it's going easy, but when things get a little tough, you know, he gets a little nervous. You know, he's just a parent and stuff. He's a coach, too, but a parent first.

Q. Well, not just that, with you and your sister, with your doubles -- congratulations, by the way.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Thank you.

Q. The gold, they do go a long way. What do you feel inside about the honor, the strength, to win that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Those titles are actually an honor for me because I wasn't alone. I was with my sister, so those doubles a very, very special to me, you know, very close to my singles titles. So I enjoy playing with her.

Q. You said you think it was my turn. What did you stand with Lindsay Davenport when you went on the court and you felt it was my turn?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, it was my first Slam title in 2000. It was just my turn to win a Slam, so it was my turn. That's what I meant.

Q. I thought you said you stood at something or other.
VENUS WILLIAMS: 3 and 9. She just had a big advantage in the head-to-head.

Q. At that point. I think you overtook her eventually.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Eventually, I did.

Q. Do you ever go back and look at some of your old games?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I do. I actually learn from the old Venus, but the old Venus would learn from the new Venus, too.

End of FastScripts




About ASAP SportsFastScripts ArchiveRecent InterviewsCaptioningUpcoming EventsContact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297