VENUS WILLIAMS IN PRESS CONFERENCE. THE CHAMPIOSHIPS WIMBLEDON 2014

Q. How frustrating is it that the courts are so much slower here than they were when you first played here?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, it's definitely different. I mean, the ball sits up a lot. I don't know. I think what I enjoyed about all the surfaces is that they are different and that's what makes it challenging.

If you want to be a great grass court player, you have to adjust. If you want to be a great clay court player, you have to adjust. The hard courts, all of them are a little bit different.

I do miss having that nuance of here is the challenge, you have to be a diverse player. Unfortunately I think the courts are becoming so similar that it's not encouraging players to play different.

Q. You said Wimbledon always listened. Have you made that point and do they listen?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I try not to complain too much. No one's going to want to see me coming. There she goes again, she talks too much. I try not to let that be me.

Q. Is it possible to go into a tournament or match and think you'd like to conserve energy? Is that a dangerous thing to think?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, trying to conserve is not the right mentality because you really have to go out there and give it your all. You really just have to play smart. I think that's probably a better way to put it, is really play smart, be focused, be intense. Hopefully that helps you get on and off the court. That's never a guarantee.

Today I thought I played pretty well. But a shot here, a shot there, the set is over. So you just have to somehow come through.

Q. So many years at this place, so many moments. If you could choose one favorite moment from when you were young or more recently, which one would you choose?

VENUS WILLIAMS: More recently, definitely the Olympics here was the best moment.

Q. What was that like?

VENUS WILLIAMS: It was awesome. That was my whole thing in life at the time, was to be at the Olympics. It just meant a lot for me personally. Of course, to do it with Serena, it's much more special than to win one alone.

That's probably the best moment in my career, I would say.

Q. When you came off court, you spoke about the need to stay hungry. Do you still have that hunger for the titles inside you? Do you think, I'd love to surprise a few people in this tournament and go as far as you can?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm not really here to surprise anyone. No one is going to get behind you and pet you and say, It's okay, you can do it. I have to do that for myself.

I'm not looking for anyone to believe in me or anything like that. You have to believe in yourself these days.

I have nothing to prove, nothing to hide, nothing to lose. So for me it's about continually playing better and getting back up every single time when things might not go my way. It's not going to go the way of 127 people in this draw. It's going to go the way of one person. So you just keep going.