Venus Williams Tentative on Olympic Mixed Doubles, Excited About Fashion

Before her opening World Team Tennis match, Venus Williams held a brief press conference with local Washington media (of which I am one), her first appearance since losing in the fourth round of Wimbledon.

With the light World Team Tennis atmosphere not really lending itself for heavier queries that might broach "the P-word" (Pironkova), questions were all over the place, ranging from the expected (her thoughts on Washington and World Team Tennis) to the bizarre (what one question she'd like to ask Britney Spears).  Venus expressed her appreciation of the new stadium near the wharf that the Washington Kastles action this summer.  Overlooking the Potomac River, the new stadium is a beautiful welcome upgrade from the Kastles' previous home in a Chinatown parking lot.  The evening weather also cooperated, which made the whole event doubly enjoyable.

In the two questions I was able to get in, I tried to keep things at least vaguely related to Washington and WTT, with limited success. 

SBN: Venus, you've had a lot of success in the Olympics in doubles, and next year they're adding mixed doubles to the Olympics (which is a part of World Team Tennis as well).  I've heard that you're playing with Bob Bryan--is that right? And do you plan on playing any grand slams with him to prepare?

Venus Williams: You know, I've been known not to commit to relationships (laughs). So I'll be waiting 'til the last minute to see what's best, you know? I'm always a "grass is greener" kind of girl (laughs). It's a bad habit that's followed over to tennis.  I've always said I'd have to be in the best shape of my life to play three events, because I'll be playing to win all three events.  That's a lot of matches in only eight days. But yeah, I'm definitely looking forward to the Olympics.

This seems pretty newsworthy to me.  When mixed doubles were officially announced in December of 2009, Andy Roddick and Serena Williams quickly announced their partnership, and Bob Bryan made several comments suggesting that he and Venus were also set as a pair. 

Not only does Venus cast doubt on that notion, she almost makes it sound as though she's waiting for a better offer.  Better than an 18-time grand slam winner? Does such an American exist?

SBN: Venus, one of the things we have here in DC is an exhibit at the National Museum of American History of dresses worn by First Ladies over the years.  You've worn a lot of memorable things out court over the years--do you still have them all? And have you ever thought of putting together a museum exhibit of your and Serena's fashions over the years?

Venus Williams: I do! I save at least one of all my dresses.  A lot of them I sign and give to charity.  A lot of my dresses are limited editions, so I definitely save them. Definitely, over the years, I think it would be great to have an exhibition of the outfits Serena and I have worn.  It would be a pretty interesting commentary on women in tennis.

I have a savant-like ability to recall what almost every big player wore at each tournament over the last 10+ years, so I hereby nominate myself as curator for this forthcoming exhibit.

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Venus looked relatively sharp in her matches that evening, dropping a close 5-4(4) singles match with American No. 3 Christina McHale, and  playing well in her doubles events with Leander Paes and Rennae Stubbs.  She plays her second WTT match with the Kastles Wednesday night in Philadelphia.