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Venus Williams admitted Sunday that it will be a strange experience when she opens her title defence at Wimbledon this year without sister Serena by her side.
Serena is absent with a knee injury and has played just four matches since last year's US Open, three of them at the Australian Open in January.
In her absence Venus will be bidding for her fourth Wimbledon title.
Winner in 2000 and 2001 she had to settle for the runners-up spot behind Serena in 2002 and 2003 before claiming a third title last year at the expense of Lindsay Davenport.
As Serena's injuries have led to speculation that the 24-year-old will quit the game, Venus admitted that it would be hard to continue on the circuit if her younger sister did decide to call it a day.
"We haven't talked about it, but it's probably really tied," said Venus of their careers.
"It would be really sad (without her). I don't know. I think I'd have to be my own person obviously.
"I think I'd like it if we retired together. That would be cool. But it's not really in the frame right now."
Speaking ahead of the defence of her Wimbledon title, which gets under way on Tuesday against compatriot Bethanie Mattek, Williams added: "I'd love for Serena to be here.
"It's just so much more fun, so much more jolly, so many more good times. We're a team.
"But as they say, you can't have everything. I've had her here so many years, she's had me."
Williams defeated Davenport in last year's final, her 4-6 7-6 9-7 victory in two hours and 45 minutes the longest women's final in history.
She is seeded sixth this year after winning 10 of her 14 matches in 2006, the last one ending in a quarter-final defeat to Nicole Vaidisova at the French Open.
The 26-year-old has not won a tournament since victory at the All England Club but remains confident of challenging for a fourth title.
"I always enjoy being here. I'm not in the proving (people wrong) business, but I am in the business of playing very good tennis, particularly at Wimbledon," she added.
"Am I more relaxed this year? It seems like it. But once that first round comes around, obviously that will be the true test of really how I feel. So far I feel very good.
"I always love to bring home the title. When I come to a tournament, especially Wimbledon, I feel like I'm definitely one of the main contenders to do that.
"It's round by round, consistent tennis throughout, and playing the best, which I meant to do last year and I'd love to repeat this year.
"I've been here since Wednesday and I've been on the grass as much as possible. But this year didn't seem like as much of an adjustment. Maybe it's the courts. Maybe it's me. I'd like to think it's me, but I won't take any credit.
"It seems like my game goes to another level here. I think a lot of times, by the time this tournament comes around, I've gotten a few kinks out of my game.
"I've had half a year to play, or in this case at least some tournaments in the clay-court season. I always come into the tournament very positive. That's really crucial."
str/ea06
Tennis-Wimbledon-Venus
AFP 251320 GMT 06 06
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