Venus Williams reflects on her 1997 US Open debut 20 years later

Venus Williams made her US Open debut in 1997, and she's reflecting on that fortuitous tournament 20 years later as she prepares to play in the 2017 US Open as the No. 9 seed.

The seven-time grand slam winner will play her first round match on Monday and, during a recent phone call with AOL Entertainment, she told us that stepping out onto the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium this year will give her the same feeling she had 20 years ago.

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"I played my first match ever at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, and I remember being so nervous losing the first set and then finally settling in and thinking, 'Okay, I think I can win this match,'" she recalled with a laugh. "That tournament I made it all the way to the final. It does take some getting used to, but once you put your head down and focus, you're able to play well and enjoy it."

So, more than two decades into her legendary tennis career, Williams is still going. More than that, she's still winning -- a lot. The star has surpassed all expectations this year by reaching two grand slam finals: In January, she lost to sister Serena in a historic Australian Open final, and last month she lost to Garbine Muguruza in the Wimbledon championship.

Though she's been playing so well, she admits that she's not quite there -- she wants to go all the way again! -- and Williams is confident that she'll get there.

See photos of Venus Williams through the years:

"It's a highlight to be able to go from being on the court and have your dreams and your goals and what you're looking toward and have those happen," she explained about what's made her year so great. "That whole process is exciting, because you realize you can get even better. I feel like my best is still ahead of me."

"I think it's really about the mindset," Williams said about continuing to improve her results. "It's about being confident and relaxed in the situation at hand. It's about remembering how to make the play and remembering to put the ball in the court."

"I often forget to do that," she added with a laugh.

Of course, if she's to pass that one last hurdle at a grand slam this year, she'll have to do it without sister Serena there in person, as she's expected to give birth to her first baby within the next month. Even though she won't physically be in New York cheering her on, Venus insists that Serena is still with her in spirit.

"She's always there with me, and I always get great advice from her," she told us. "Of course I'm going to miss her a lot, but I will have to just wave that Williams flag high."

Another thing that Venus looks forward to every year at the Open is interacting with the thousands of fans that roam the grounds at the Billie Jean Tennis Center every year, eager for autographs and selfies and face-time with the top players. This year, she'll appear at a meet-and-greet the Card Member Club, which she helped design with her interior design business V Starr Interiors.

The space, which is located inside of the American Express Fan Experience, will highlight both V Starr Interiors and Williams' other business -- highly successful clothing company, Eleven. The collaboration was a natural one.

"It shows there are different sides of me," Williams explained of her American Express partnership. "So many people are growing their businesses and realizing their dreams with American Express, and I'm doing the exact same thing."

"I got my first [American Express] card when I was 15," she continued. "[This space] shows my passion for interior design and highlights small business in terms of my clothing line, as well as V Starr Interiors."

Though she'll spend some time off of the court interacting with fans at the US Open this year, Williams will still remain focused on the task at hand: Winning her third title at the final grand slam of the year. And, after a long season, that may involve winning ugly.

"It's a long season, so at this point you hopefully feel pretty honed on your game," she said. "It's about being able to perfect your ability to deal with the pressure of the last slam. That's obviously on my mind right now as I figure out how to bring my best tennis, even if it's not my best day."

See more photos of the Williams Sisters:

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