Australian Open 2011 - Venus Promises ‘More Skin’ (Dear God No!)

World No.5 Venus Williams last night took some time out from preparing for Australian Open 2011, enjoying a swank cocktail party held to welcome her to South Yarra’s The Olsen Hotel. Williams, who arrived in Melbourne early this week after participating in an exhibition event in Hong Kong, mingled with the well-dressed crowd in The Olsen’s penthouse suite, which afforded stunning views of the city skyline.

The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion appeared in good spirits as she posed for photographs with a beautiful lap-pool as a backdrop, met the hotel’s owners, and was presented with a large bouquet of flowers as a first-time guest of the hotel. The Olsen is one of three within the “Art Series” of hotels, something Williams said appealed to her creative side.

“I enjoy art, designing my dresses on the court, and I have an interior design company so that goes hand-in-hand with home, so I’ve been very interested staying here,” she said. Williams’ outfits have often been the subject of interest throughout her career. In 2010 she dabbled with designs and fabrics that she described as creating “an illusion” thanks to flesh-matching coloured underwear and revealing cuts.

We can expect a similar theme at this year’s tournament. “There’ll be more illusion, and also skin - more skin this year. So we’ll see,” she said cryptically. The American is making her 12th trip to the Australian Open. Having reached the final in 2003, the semifinals in 2001, and the quarterfinals a further five times, she said that she was looking to begin the year strongly with a good performance at Melbourne Park.

“I’m extremely motivated seeing that I’ve come so close before to winning this title but not quite, so (it’s) a little extra challenge for me coming in here to make it happen,” she said. “Leading up (I’ve) really just played a couple of matches, just really quiet, of course working as hard as I can to get ready for the year, you know, same old, same old.”

Williams said she was sad not to be in Melbourne with sister Serena, the defending Australian Open champion and with whom Venus won the 2010 women’s doubles title. Serena revealed earlier this week that she was keeping busy back at home, tweeting from Venus’ bed that she had moved into her sister’s room, renamed Venus’ dog and raided her wardrobe.

“I haven’t been on Twitter for a few days but I’ve noticed she’s taken over the house since I’ve left,” Williams said. “Hopefully when I come back I’ll recognise it, but of course I miss her … hopefully I can carry the (family) flag well.”

Although Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin, Caroline Wozniacki, Vera Zvonareva and local Sam Stosur are the favourites for the title in the eyes of bookmakers and tennis commentators, Williams said it was hard to nominate her main threats at Melbourne Park. “People come out and play so well and sometimes you’ve never even heard their name and they can play, so for me it’s all about playing the ball and doing whatever it takes to get to that next round until it’s all over,” she said.

But Williams made a special note of Stosur, who is bidding to become the first home-grown champion since 1978. “She’s already been to the final of a major, and she’s come through a lot of serious injuries and come back even stronger, so the sky’s the limit for her.” When asked if she was the one to beat at Australian Open 2011, Williams had this answer: “I’d love to be the one to beat, but more than anything I’d love to be the one with the trophy at the end. Like I said before it’s a lot of work, and hopefully I can get it all done.”