Day 4 - An interview with Venus Williams - Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Q. What happened in the second set there?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I really just got over confident. I was just feeling like I couldn't lose and then it was even. So it was definitely a mistake that I've made before, not often.

But I just felt like I had the match and I was playing loose shots and I really should have closed it out, because, you know, she was competing well.

Q. 206 in cold, damp, horrible conditions. What can you do when it's nice and sunny?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I loved it. That's where I think my focus got a little bit ‑‑ I lost a little bit because I saw the 206. I was so excited because I broke my record. I just lost a bit of focus there, for sure. And I'm really glad that I broke that record, because, I mean, when I was younger, I was always trying to serve harder and harder, and now I'm not trying to serve hard. It comes hard. So it was unexpected.

Q. You got distracted a bit and it was, school kids on that court, and did you try to keep the match longer so you could entertain the children?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, they ‑‑

Q. They enjoyed it, for sure.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, they had fun. I could definitely tell they were having fun, so it was good.

Q. You have a potentially very tough third‑round match. You had a touch match with Jelena in Charleston. Can you talk about that, how you see that played out?

VENUS WILLIAMS: We both played a really good match in Charleston. I'm sure we both have raised our game since then, so I'm looking forward to it.

Q. How will it be different on the red clay versus the green clay?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that this clay is really just the truest of all clay. It's just actually a little bit easier to play here because it bounces better. You can slide without so much worries of, are you going to twist your ankle. If anything, I'll play with a more clear mind.

Q. The American men have been departing rather rapidly. Do you have any theory why that should be?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I guess it kind of all happened fast, but I really have just been focusing on my result.

Q. When you lost focus, as you said, you were really looking good, enjoying your match on clay. What will it take for you to go all the way in this tournament?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Just good play, consistent play, and aggressive at the right times. It's important on clay.

Q. In Del Rey you said one of the things you liked best about Fed Cup is you get to hear a different voice in than Zina. She was out at the match. I was wondering if you asked her to come or she just came? Will you seek her out for her thoughts on the match, on this situation where she's technically not your coach of record for the tournament?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think it's always nice to have another person saying something in a different way, I guess. And, yeah, I guess I would like to hear what she said. She left quickly, I guess, but, yeah, I'll find her.

Q. You broke Serena's record. Have you told her yet you've broken it?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Her record?

Q. Her record for the serve. I think she held the fastest, did she not?

VENUS WILLIAMS: What was her record?

Q. 126 ‑‑ 128, Cincinnati.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, I don't know. I didn't know what her record was.

Q. Can you just talk about your level. How do you feel? You've got two matches under your belt. How do you actually feel you're striking the ball right now?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I feel good. I feel good on the clay. I feel like I can get to almost any ball. I feel like when I need to, I can raise the level of my game. I feel like when I have the chance at times, I'm moving forward, too, which is important. So I feel good about my game.

Q. What were you thinking after squandering the match points when you had five set points against you in that tie break?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Just to win, win a point, get it even, and then I'd be set. So I wasn't upset. Obviously I would have loved to have closed it out, but, I mean, the past is the past. I live in the future.

Q. After that big serve, you actually had a couple of double faults in a row there. What happened on those serves? They seemed kind of crucial.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think just the wind kicked up a little bit, and I needed to adjust my toss, because since I'm tall, my toss is high, and it starts moving around. So that I can just throw it a little bit lower.