VENUS WILLIAMS IN PRESS CONFERENCE. AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2014

Q.  Given where you were and how you were playing earlier in the match, tell us your emotions.  Is it deflating?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  You know, obviously losing any match is, you know, never any fun, especially in a major.  So definitely would have wanted a different result.

Q.  What happened?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  I think she played really well, and I think just my level was a little bit too up and down.

Q.  Any similarities to that match with Ana in Auckland?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah, you know, I think obviously I think my error count was a little high.  I haven't looked at the stats yet, so I don't know what the errors were or the first serve percentage was.  I have to look at that and just kind of evaluate the match.

Q.  When you were up in the third set 3 Love, what happened next?  Did she pick up her game or did you start making more errors?  What do you think was the key?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I think a bit of both.  I have to give her a lot of credit.  She was really determined, and, you know, just kept playing hard.  I think any time you're seeded you just really want to win the first round.

Q.  I think you won over 80% of your points at the net.  Is that a big offseason focus for you and do you think it will serve you well in doubles?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I definitely worked on my volleys, and I think I was effective up there.  I do like getting to the net.  So that's, you know, that was a good step for me.

Q.  Is it something that comes naturally, intuitively to you?  Is it something you need to keep reminding yourself, to get up there?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  I think it's pretty natural for me to move forward.  It's my mindset.  But I think for everyone you kind of sometimes get tentative, so everyone has to keep moving forward.

Q.  In general, how are you feeling?  Did you feel like fatigue was any more than any, you know, than five years ago?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  You know, I just really focused on the match and just tried to put the ball in the court and played aggressive.  That's pretty much what I tried to do.

Q.  Hard to say after a loss, but is it still worth it, the travel, the practice, the treatments, all of that?  Do you still feel like it's worth it to get out there?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  I mean, I train really hard.  You know, I was hitting the ball well this week, and, you know, obviously it was disappointing to not win the first round.

Q.  How much of your health issues, over the past 12 months and now recently coming into this tournament, how has your health been?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah, you know, the last 12 months I have had issues, but this year I definitely am looking forward to, you know, having a good run and feeling well.

Q.  Is that the major factor that will decide how much longer you will keep going?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  As for what?

Q.  Your health.
VENUS WILLIAMS:  I think, you know, that's a factor for any professional athlete, so I don't think I'm any different from anyone else.

Q.  Do you think you might consider doing mixed here?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  No, I think I won once, so that was enough (smiling).  Mixed is tough.  I just try my best in the doubles, and, you know, root Serena on.

Q.  Is this one of your designs, the dress that you're wearing today?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah.

Q.  What's the inspiration?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  I love tie dye, so pretty much that's the inspiration.

Q.  Did you have a lot of compliments about it?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  I just put it on, so I don't know yet.

Q.  Do your expectations remain pretty similar every tournament you go in wanting to win it, or how do you look at it?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I totally do want to win tournaments.  It's fun.  So going into tournaments, that's always something I hope for.

Q.  You said you won the mixed once and that was enough.  You have pretty much done everything once.  What does keep you going?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  I love tennis.  It's fun.  I think pretty much anyone who plays tennis will say that they enjoy the game, so I think that is definitely motivation for me, something that I enjoy.

Q.  How close do you feel like you are in closing the gap between where you know you can play and where you find yourself, your level at this time?  Do you feel like you're closing that gap?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  I don't know.  That's difficult to say, because I do play really, you know, points really well, and then sometimes I don't put them together as well.  I feel like I have to be patient with myself, because I really haven't had a chance to play that consistently.

So I think I just have to be patient and keep going and just wait for it to keep coming together more and more.

Q.  Are you patient with yourself?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  Yes, now I am.  I am now.

Q.  Rod Laver was saying as he got older, it wasn't that any of his shots abandoned him, just that he had more off days or patches in matches where he started going off the rails more.  Have you found that's the biggest challenge?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  I can't really give you a fair account of that, because I just haven't played a lot.  So I think if I'm playing consistently, then maybe I can, you know, do a better assessment, but I think for me I just have to keep playing tournaments.

Q.  Will we see you again next year?
VENUS WILLIAMS:  I love Australia.  I'd love to come back.