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Venus dismisses questions about age, fatigue, Sjogren's after Wimbledon loss

REUTERS/David Ramos / Action Images

Venus Williams is not in the business of making excuses, and she refused to let anyone make any for her after she lost Saturday's Wimbledon final to Garbine Muguruza.

Williams, 37, had a strong start to the match, but let go of the rope after failing to convert two set points in the first, and went on to get bageled in the second.

In her post-match press conference, a reporter offered her any number of reasonable outs for the listless second-set performance: Was it her age catching up to her? Had fatigue played a part? Was her energy-sapping autoimmune disorder, Sjogren's Syndrome, to blame?

Williams brushed right past the question, choosing instead to tip her cap to Muguruza.

"She played really well," Williams said. "She played top tennis, I have to give her credit for just playing a better match. I've had a great two weeks, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer."

Later on, she was asked a variation of the same question, and offered a similar response:

"I think she played amazing. She played amazing."

It was Venus' second major final of the year, after having gone eight years without making one, and a win would've made her the oldest Slam champ in the Open era, but she was similarly dismissive when asked how she's managed to defy the odds and the aging curve to return to the top of the sport.

"Those are not my thoughts or words, that I'm not supposed to be doing this," she said. "I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing, right now."

As a follow-up, she was asked what she has inside her that allows her to keep doing this. Once again, she refused to mince words.

"I think," she said, "some good tennis."

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