"Are you going to write a good article or a halfway decent one?"- Venus Williams shuts down a reporter during Wimbledon press conference for absurd question
Venus Williams has a reputation for being a smart competitor, both on and off the court, and she demonstrated the same by responding to a reporter's absurd question with a sarcastic yet powerful answer.
The American has made a spectacular return to the tennis courts after an eleven-month hiatus, spurred on by her sister, Serena Williams. She teamed up with Andy Murray's brother Jamie Murray to play mixed doubles at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships.
The decision was made at the last minute, but it was worth it as the duo made a remarkable start against wildcards Alicja Rosolska and Michael Venus, winning 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3. In the post-match press conference, the duo were asked if they were "in it to win it," and the seven-time Grand Slam champion gave a sarcastic answer.
"What sort of question is that?” Williams asked. “No, we’re in it for a stroll.”
This response from Venus Williams was brilliant 😅
"What kind of question is that?!" 💬
#BBCTennis #Wimbledon https://t.co/4e0LozWd9c
The reporter didn't stop there and went on to ask more questions. He asked the pair if they were just playing for the experience or if they were aiming to go all the way in the event. Williams quipped sardonically by drawing parallels to the reporter's question and asked if he had any intentions of writing a good article.
"Are you going to write a good article or just a halfway decent one?” Williams replied.
“He played hard to get, I wanted to play with him for ages"- Venus Williams on Jamie Murray
After being motivated by her younger sister Serena Williams' solo outing, the older Williams sister made her return to the courts. Serena herself made her comeback at Wimbledon after being off the courts for a year. She lost to Harmony Tan in the first round in three sets, so while her comeback wasn't particularly impressive, it did, however, cause some sparks to fly in Venus Williams.
She subsequently made a last-minute decision to partner with Jamie Murray and then discussed her comeback in her post-match press conference. She said that the grass at Wimbledon also played a significant role in her return.
“He played hard to get,” Williams said. “I wanted to play with him for ages but it was super last-minute. I was at the French Open which is beautiful but my heart didn’t beat the same way as when I saw the grass.”
With their win in the opening round, the mixed doubles duo will next lock horns with United Kingdom's Jonny O'Mara and Alicia Barnett in the second round.