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Defeated Venus dreaming of second straight Wimbledon crown


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Venus Williams is now pointing her season at a morale-lifting repeat of her 2005 Wimbledon title after crashing out in the quarter-finals of the French Open on Tuesday.

The American went down to the latest teenaged powerhouse when she lost 6-7 (5/7), 6-1, 6-3 to Czech Nicole Vaidisova.

As she heads home to return just days before the start of play at the All England club on June 26, the former world number one was hoping against hope.

"I would love to win it again, obviously. It's a tournament I love to win.

"It would mean that I won back to back. Obviously, every single player is vying to win Wimbledon.

"I want to do it - that's the simple answer."

Williams only returned to tennis a few weeks ago after a run of injuries. Her clay season comprised a respectable three events, with a Rome semi-final her best showing.

As usual, she will return to Florida to prepare in her own way, without any warmup events in Britain.

"I'll just work harder, obviously I'm disappointed," said the player who won Wimbledon back to back during her golden years of 2000 and 2001.

"I would have loved to have done better (in Paris). I just want to just get stronger and just get better.

"I can practice my serve a lot more and at Wimbledon you'll see more consistency on that with my arm (after injury) doing better."

After a nearly three-month absence, the 25-year-old feels her time away could make her fresher when she does step onto the grass.

"I would have loved to have been playing this whole year. I want to be playing now, I want to be playing next week.

"I'll go home, prepare in the same way for Wimbledon."

str/ea06

Tennis-FRA-Open-Williams

AFP 061428 GMT 06 06

COPYRIGHT 2004 Agence France-Presse. All rights reserved.

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