Andy Zarzuela
Professional
A lot of people on here talk about how Venus and Serena are very bitter in defeat. I thought I'd post her interview just to show you that doesn't apply to Venus. Granted when she was younger, she was a bit more bitter in defeat, but that's about how everyone is when they are new and upcomers. Now she's a class act. With that said, I think she can win Wimbledon again.
Q. You've been able to dig out of trouble in previous matches here? What was different today?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I had a decent first set. Had a slow start, I think. She just played really good tennis. Seems to be on a roll. She was making some great shots. She just was the better player today.
Q. Did you tire at all in the third set?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, no. I didn't tire. In fact, no. Actually, I didn't tire. That's the answer (smiling).
Q. What do you suppose went wrong with your groundstrokes at the end? Just not having played enough or...
VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, it's so close to the end of the match, it's hard just to say exactly at this moment. You can believe I'll watch the film and figure out, you know, the things I didn't do right.
Like I said, she played well. She deserved to win.
Q. You went up several times, but had problems with the volleys.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I missed a few volleys today that most certainly would have helped my cause to make those. At the end of ‑‑ at the scheme of things, sometimes a few shots do make the difference. I think it was just the big picture today and not necessarily little, tiny things.
Q. Talk a bit about her game. You played her a year ago.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes.
Q. How has she developed? What do you see as her possibilities?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I would say she's a lot more consistent than last year. I would say I definitely faced the same game as last year; she's just a lot more consistent.
Q. You hit a lot of first serves in play at the end of that match. She got a lot of them back. Were you trying to go to a certain part of her game and attack her in a certain place?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I was trying to bring my level up, get some more serves in, obviously get some easy points from the serve. So, that was just me just trying to do what was right.
Q. Were you surprised how well she returned some of those?
VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, sometimes it's just about getting the ball in play. I don't think like hitting missiles. But sometimes, you know, just miss‑hits but they went in. You got to keep the ball in play and she did a good job of doing that.
Q. What will you do between now and Wimbledon?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Just work harder. Obviously I'm disappointed. I would have loved to have done better. During this last six weeks, I had a lot of challenges, you know, physically that I was able to overcome just to be here today. I'm proud of that from me and also from my team, to help me to be here.
I just want to just get stronger and just get better. You know, I'm doing better. I can practice my serve a lot more. Obviously, at Wimbledon you'll see more consistency on that with my arm doing better and that kind of thing. Yeah, that's what I'll do, I'll be better every time.
Q. Do you think having missed part of the start of the year that you'll be comparatively fresh for Wimbledon this year?
VENUS WILLIAMS: That's a good way of putting it. I would have loved to have been playing this whole year. I mean, I want to be playing now. I want to be playing next week. I'll go home, prepare in the same way for Wimbledon as I've done these last I don't know how many years. So I'll get ready at home.
Q. Will you draw comfort from the fact you played a lot better year this year than last year, yet you went to Wimbledon and won the tournament? It's a nice memory to have, isn't it?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess so, if you want to put it that way (laughter). Yeah, that's a positive way of looking at it, yes. Thank you. Made my day.
Q. Wimbledon it was such an extraordinary moment. Do you think you can do it again and what would it mean to you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I would love to do it again, obviously. It's a tournament I love to win. What would it mean? It would mean that I won back to back. Obviously, every single player is vying to win Wimbledon. Anyway, yeah, I want to do it. That's the simple answer.
Q. The last time we talked to you here, you were the lone carrier of the flag for the US. Now do you feel that you're carrying the Williams flag? Serena is not around. You're the only shot here.
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, that really doesn't enter my mind per se when I'm out there playing or practicing or training.
Q. I don't mean when you're practicing or training. I mean just a general thought: there's going to be a Williams at Wimbledon somehow.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, not necessarily, no. I guess I get wrapped up in self a little too much. Maybe I should think that way.
Q. You've been able to dig out of trouble in previous matches here? What was different today?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I had a decent first set. Had a slow start, I think. She just played really good tennis. Seems to be on a roll. She was making some great shots. She just was the better player today.
Q. Did you tire at all in the third set?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, no. I didn't tire. In fact, no. Actually, I didn't tire. That's the answer (smiling).
Q. What do you suppose went wrong with your groundstrokes at the end? Just not having played enough or...
VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, it's so close to the end of the match, it's hard just to say exactly at this moment. You can believe I'll watch the film and figure out, you know, the things I didn't do right.
Like I said, she played well. She deserved to win.
Q. You went up several times, but had problems with the volleys.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I missed a few volleys today that most certainly would have helped my cause to make those. At the end of ‑‑ at the scheme of things, sometimes a few shots do make the difference. I think it was just the big picture today and not necessarily little, tiny things.
Q. Talk a bit about her game. You played her a year ago.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes.
Q. How has she developed? What do you see as her possibilities?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I would say she's a lot more consistent than last year. I would say I definitely faced the same game as last year; she's just a lot more consistent.
Q. You hit a lot of first serves in play at the end of that match. She got a lot of them back. Were you trying to go to a certain part of her game and attack her in a certain place?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I was trying to bring my level up, get some more serves in, obviously get some easy points from the serve. So, that was just me just trying to do what was right.
Q. Were you surprised how well she returned some of those?
VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, sometimes it's just about getting the ball in play. I don't think like hitting missiles. But sometimes, you know, just miss‑hits but they went in. You got to keep the ball in play and she did a good job of doing that.
Q. What will you do between now and Wimbledon?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Just work harder. Obviously I'm disappointed. I would have loved to have done better. During this last six weeks, I had a lot of challenges, you know, physically that I was able to overcome just to be here today. I'm proud of that from me and also from my team, to help me to be here.
I just want to just get stronger and just get better. You know, I'm doing better. I can practice my serve a lot more. Obviously, at Wimbledon you'll see more consistency on that with my arm doing better and that kind of thing. Yeah, that's what I'll do, I'll be better every time.
Q. Do you think having missed part of the start of the year that you'll be comparatively fresh for Wimbledon this year?
VENUS WILLIAMS: That's a good way of putting it. I would have loved to have been playing this whole year. I mean, I want to be playing now. I want to be playing next week. I'll go home, prepare in the same way for Wimbledon as I've done these last I don't know how many years. So I'll get ready at home.
Q. Will you draw comfort from the fact you played a lot better year this year than last year, yet you went to Wimbledon and won the tournament? It's a nice memory to have, isn't it?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess so, if you want to put it that way (laughter). Yeah, that's a positive way of looking at it, yes. Thank you. Made my day.
Q. Wimbledon it was such an extraordinary moment. Do you think you can do it again and what would it mean to you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I would love to do it again, obviously. It's a tournament I love to win. What would it mean? It would mean that I won back to back. Obviously, every single player is vying to win Wimbledon. Anyway, yeah, I want to do it. That's the simple answer.
Q. The last time we talked to you here, you were the lone carrier of the flag for the US. Now do you feel that you're carrying the Williams flag? Serena is not around. You're the only shot here.
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, that really doesn't enter my mind per se when I'm out there playing or practicing or training.
Q. I don't mean when you're practicing or training. I mean just a general thought: there's going to be a Williams at Wimbledon somehow.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, not necessarily, no. I guess I get wrapped up in self a little too much. Maybe I should think that way.
