Q&A; WITH WILLIAMS:Woeful Breakers have at least Williams competing

Tonight’s match at Breakers Stadium isn’t about wins or losses. It really isn’t about a World Team Tennis playoff spot. And, it’s certainly not about the Newport Beach Breakers (3-8).

Tonight, it’s all about Venus Williams.

The 2007 Wimbledon champion, the lowest seeded player (23rd) to win the women’s title, will be playing for the Philadelphia Freedoms at 7.

Williams, the four-time Wimbledon champion, has won six Grand Slam titles.

With her victory on July 7, she became the first woman at Wimbledon to win the same prize money as the men’s champion — roughly $1.4 million.

Williams is making her fourth and final playing appearance for the Freedoms tonight.

She answered questions during a conference call with reporters on Monday.

Question: After that Wimbledon win, I’m sure this must be crazy. How are you taking it coming from the lowest seed?

Answer: It’s exciting. I always believed I could do it. To do it is definitely really, really hard work. I feel really, really excited, obviously really blessed.

Q: You and your sister [Serena] have raised women’s tennis to a different level. How can the sport overall get more African Americans involved?

A: I’m not sure. I’m not sure what the answer would be to that question.

Q: Could you talk a little about your relationship with Billie Jean King and why you felt compelled to acknowledge her after your Wimbledon win. Does it make it more special to be playing for the team that Billie Jean owns?

A: Yeah, I thought it was important because obviously equal prize money has been a huge issue for the last few years, and Billie Jean King has long been fighting for it also, actively fighting for it alongside all the other WTA Tour players the last couple years.

I wanted to acknowledge what she’s done for tennis, for women’s tennis, and singlehandedly starting the tour, being such a visionary. People should know and recognize that and appreciate that.

There’s Venus and Serena because of Billie.

Q: A lot of players don’t like to play WTT because they’d rather play tournaments and get the points. What do you think could be done to get more stars like yourself out for WTT?

A: Well, I think the players play as they can. At this time of year it’s tough. Three Grand Slams have been finished and sometimes your body is a little bit tired.

After I played Team Tennis in ‘05, I knew for sure I wanted to play as much as possible because I had so much fun. Before that I don’t think I played since 2000. Every year it’s been a priority for me, every year I get in the draft.

Q: You sign up for TeamTennis, then you win Wimbledon. Any thought about maybe you need a break before the US Open Series, all of the other competitive events coming up in the summer?

A: Well, I have a week off after Team Tennis. That will be enough. I really enjoy playing. With the way the tour works, I’m only able to play certain weeks. So it’s really important for me to get a chance to play when I have a chance to.

Q: Are you playing New Haven this year?

A: No, I’m not.

— Steve Virgen