Venus Williams demolished world No.1 Dinara Safina 6-1 6-0 in Wimbledon semifinals, but in press-conference the American seven-time Grand Slam champion showed great respect for her opponent, and defended both the Russian and the state of women’s tennis in general.
Here’s an extract from the interview:
Q. This isn't your fault obviously because you played really well, but it's embarrassing for women's tennis to see the No. 1 destroyed in that way, isn't it?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Why do you put it like that?
Q. You played very well.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Are you trying to be down on women's tennis?
Q. I'm trying to be down on the way that Safina is the world No. 1 representing women's tennis.
VENUS WILLIAMS: So you're trying to be down basically.
Q. Not on women's tennis, no.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Okay, because I don't deal with down at all.
Q. It's not down.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm just making sure you're not trying to be down, because I respect Dinara Safina immensely, and I think you should, too.
Q. I do.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Thanks.
One more think that could defend Safina is that Venus was playing on grass, her favorite surface, which is not Dinara's favorite surface. On clay, Dinara was the winner over Venus, this year in Rome, in three sets though. (photo courtesy of Life)