N. PETROVA/V. Williams
6-4, 6-3

Q. What's your assessment of the match? Looked like you had a few chances there, but she served pretty well, she was pretty well off the ground. Give me your general thoughts.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, she served well. She didn't really make a lot of errors today. You know, just today I didn't find a good rhythm. You just have to have a really good rhythm out there on the clay.
You know, I just had you know, I didn't make the plays that I was anticipating to make.

Q. Is part of that weather? Were you just kind of searching for your game and all of a sudden she was on top of you late when it mattered?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I had some opportunities in the second, and just some strange plays, you know, not really typical. You know, the conditions aren't that easy with the rain and the wind. I don't think I served as well with the wind.
So, you know, the conditions we both played under the same conditions, but she seemed just to play a little bit more consistently. I don't think she did anything super special, but she just played a little bit more consistently.

Q. What are your plans between I know you have doubles still, obviously, but are you going to stick to your usual plan between the French and Wimbledon?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm not going to enter any extra tournaments. This is it, the doubles, and I'll get ready for Wimbledon in my usual way.

Q. Are you going to be doing any touring in support of your book in the next month and a half?
VENUS WILLIAMS: After Wimbledon I'll be doing some dates. I don't know. I can't recite exactly where, but I'll be doing some rounds.


Q. Your level of disappointment, a lot of people have seen you with your No. 2 ranking and so on as sort of maybe this is the time you can win the French or make a real deep run. From a disappointment sense, where are you at?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm obviously disappointed. It's not ideal, but, I mean, I feel like I had a day where I want to hit the ball crosscourt and it went down the line.
Sometimes it happens. Sometimes when it gets really cold, too, it's hard to feel the racquet. Especially in Europe it gets really cold. It just wasn't a good day.

Q. Can you assess her game for us? Going forward, how has she maybe changed the way she's played or toughened up maybe a little bit?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I haven't played her for so long, to be honest. I don't even remember the last time. It's kind of hard for me to give an assessment.

Q. If I could dare ask a question about fashion, a lot of people felt even in your Reebok days, post Reebok, your outfits were okay but nothing really spectacular. Last three big tournaments you've come in with really great, creative outfits. Is it really true you're going to go back to the same ol' same ol' after what happened here?
VENUS WILLIAMS: What do you mean?

Q. Are you still going to try to come to tournaments with creative outfits that are expressive and push the envelope?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Definitely I'm going to still wear creative things. I think I said the other day I don't know how much how many more skin colored shorts I'm going to be wearing, because it's a little too much for me. But we'll see. We'll see.

Q. You talk a lot about pushing the envelope with the fashion. Do you feel like you needed to push the envelope a little bit more today on court?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, I felt like I came out playing aggressive.
Then like she got a break, you know, hit a few couple of shots, and then I didn't get the break back. You know, I had some opportunities, but I think she served well on those break points and it was a bit tough.
You know, so, of course, I mean, each and every day on and off the court, on the match court and the practice court, I'm always pushing the envelope. But, you know, I have to wait until next year.
In the meantime, I'll be playing doubles and getting ready for Wimbledon.

Q. Don't you expect though you've played at this tournament for many, many years that there is going to be at least one match where you're not going to come out your best, the weather might not be so good, and it's going to be about mostly about a mental battle, a fight, rather than it is your level?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I don't think the conditions are always ideal here. Even when it's warm the courts play fast. You might not be used to it or you might not get a good bounce.
That's just the way this tournament goes.

Q. So, I mean, the question was you have to make adjustments in some ways, and in order to win the tournament, you're going to have a tough day, and it's mostly mental in some ways, no? It's not always about level.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, hopefully to try to answer your question correctly, I mean, at the end of the day you have to connect with the ball, and you have to connect physically and mentally and just make the play.
That's really what it's about.

Q. Petrova had some trouble closing out matches, including a couple days ago. In the second set, were you thinking, I'm going to get a chance to get back in this?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, always. I mean, until you shake hands, that's my that was my mentality, to hold and break back.

Q. In terms of your book, the other day you spoke about Clinton. Of all the people you spoke to, what was the most exciting, most interesting for you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's just hard to pick one, to be honest, because, I mean, each interview was a challenge. Obviously I really liked talking to Vera Wang because I relate to her in a lot of ways. I was very pleased with all the interviews.

Q. Can you just assess where your game is at this point going toward Wimbledon? Obviously that's where you recharge a lot, and it's been a great tournament for you, obviously.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Um, I mean, reassess my game? I'm not really thinking about reassessing my game at the moment, so...
I mean, at this point I just have to do my best in doubles and then just play Wimbledon. Obviously this is disappointing, but I have to just get ready for the next tournament.

Q. Your game this year, seems like you've played extremely well all year, and then you have one match that's not up to the standards you've played the rest of the year. I don't know if you agree with that or not, but if you do, have you had a year like that before where you've played like that before?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I mean, you know, these days on tour you can't really have a match where you aren't playing your best. Everyone plays their best, especially when they're playing a top player.
Out on Court 18 I don't know what they do, but when they come against me, they come hard. So it's tough to have a bad day. It's not as easy to win if you aren't having the best day.

Q. If you and Serena were to win the calendar year Grand Slam this year, where would you put that in your achievements?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. Obviously it would be very exciting. We tried last year and came close. But it would definitely be at the top.
I mean, it's a wonderful thing to add to our résumé.

Q. How much do you remember 1999 when you guys won this one? Do you remember any parts of it?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah, I remember the final. That's all I remember. It was a pretty dramatic final. I don't remember any of the other matches.


(via Roland Garros)

Roland Garros 2010: Venus Williams' 30. May Interview