TENNIS WTA CINCINNATI – 12th of August 2014. L. Safarova d. V. Williams 6-7, 6-3, 6-4. An interview Venus Williams
Q. Obviously a tough turnaround physically, but just talk about that a little bit. Disappointed to get your match ended so early on Tuesday?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was definitely a quick turn around. Maybe would have been a little better to play a little later in the day.
But, I mean, I think she just played so well. No matter what shot I hit she hit a winner, or if I hit it really deep she somehow managed to control it down the line.
I think a lot of it was just her. I think she got a little tight at 5 1. So I had some chances to come back, but it’s a deep hole.
I think she just played really well. You know, I just have to keep it a little closer, because it seems like maybe when things get close she gets a little tighter.
But sometimes it’s just, you know, tough to play opponents who are just, you know, hitting everything off every shot. She just managed to do that today.
Q. When did you get in, Sunday or Monday?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I got in Sunday. Yeah.
Q. Parts of your game that you weren’t happy with or didn’t feel were up to snuff?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think I would have liked to move forward a little well, a little more, and maybe be a little more effective on the return. She served really well the ones that landed and served really well on break points.
She did a lot of things. It’s a tough draw, as well, to play her in the first round. In the last few weeks have been playing all the top players and just didn’t manage to come through on this one.
Q. How happy are you with your US Open prep overall?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I definitely would have liked to play more matches here. You know, maybe it’s easier to get a little bit easier draw, too.
I think for her too she just feels like, Oh, I have to go for everything. You just feel loose when you come out, because maybe you’re not supposed to win the match and just everything is just flying everywhere.
You know, so I think I got just in the third set I think I got a little bit impatient because I wanted my shots to be more effective, but somehow she just was hitting shots everywhere.
So I think I just got impatient trying to go for a little too much instead of just taking my time until I got some opportunities. I think that was just a tactical error in the third set. And then, you know, I have to just learn from that.
Q. In Canada, were you surprised by how well you were able to bounce back day after day after tough physical matches, or is that what you can expect from yourself now?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes, that’s what I would like from me every time. Today I was even surprised at how much I was able to push myself, because I wasn’t sure how well I was going to be how long I’d be able to go after all those matches.
I wish I could have felt today like I did you know, how I did today in the final, just to have a little bit more in Montreal, just to make it more competitive.
So I definitely would have liked to have switched days.
Q. For those of us who weren’t there, can you just address a little bit the fact that it’s been a while since you had a win over Serena? You got so close, but you have also had a great career rivalry.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was just a match where you just kind of keep going, and then finally at the end you’re a winner. In those kind of matches you just try your best and try to win and try to get it to work out.
Q. You have had some good success at WTA events, but haven’t quite been how you’d like to be at the slams last couple of years. Anything you’d change in your approach going into New York? Try to change something or I don’t know how you focus on that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, just try to have good preparation and try to be relaxed as possible. Let my good game shine through. I don’t think anything special. You have to play well. This is no magic formula. I have to do that.