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Beaten Venus rues lack of preparation
Venus Williams rued her lack of preparation after her attempt to win the French Open title for the first time ended with a surprise 6-3 6-4 defeat to Russian Anastasia Myskina in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.
Venus Williams rued her lack of preparation after her attempt to win the French Open title for the first time ended with a surprise 6-3 6-4 defeat to Russian Anastasia Myskina in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.
The former world number one, runner-up here in 2002, was troubled by an ankle injury sustained in the run-up to the event.
"It's enough to make you bitter," said Williams, who lost in the fourth round in 2003 after suffering a stomach muscle injury three weeks before the tournament.
"I feel fortunate to have been able to play, because I had so many issues beforehand, but the one thing it really interrupted was my preparation.
"It felt better through the tournament, but you need to be at 100 percent with your game and physically to win this kind of event."
Williams' lack of preparation was obvious against Myskina as 43 unforced errors almost handed victory on a plate to the 22-year-old Russian.
"I don't think she (Myskina) beat me today," said the fourth seed. "Normally, I would do well against her because she can't really hurt me.
"I never felt on top of my game (in the tournament). Sometimes I felt decent but I had to take a lot of pace off the ball and keep it in which I am not used to."
Williams expects to return to winning ways sooner rather than later.
"Losing matches is not normal for me," she said. "I feel that when I am prepared and healthy, I'm going to do well."
Williams admitted that she had found it hard to concentrate fully on her match, knowing that younger sister and number two seed Serena was playing, and losing, at the same time.
"I tried not to look at the scoreboard," she said, "but that is not to say that I didn't look at it."
Williams said she and Serena would be flying home to the United States immediately, to prepare for Wimbledon, which begins on June 21.
"We'll pack our bags and leave. There is nothing left for us here."
