"I'm still the best", says Venus

It has been nearly four years since Venus Williams [Images] won a Grand Slam tournament but the former world number one has lost none of her confidence.

The 24-year-old American, knocked out of the Australian Open 7-5, 7-6 in the fourth round by Alicia Molik [Images] on Monday, still believes she is the best player in the world.

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"I can still play so there's no doubt about that," she told reporters. "I would say players are playing better, but I would definitely also say that when I'm playing well, I feel like I'm the best. Today was not my best, absolutely not my best."

Williams won the Wimbledon and US Open titles in 2000 and 2001 but has not won a Grand Slam since, reaching four consecutive finals from 2002-03 but losing all of them to her younger sister Serena.

Neither sibling has won a Grand Slam for two years after the emergence of a new crop of players but Williams thinks it is just a matter of time before they return to the top.

"I go into each match feeling like that I should be able to win each match," she said. "But the best part about tennis is that it's not just once every four years. I'll play next week."

Williams won her first three matches at Melbourne Park in straight sets but struggled to cope with the booming serve of Molik, bidding to become the first Australian woman to win the Open title since Chris O'Neil in 1978.

"I definitely didn't produce my best tennis today, that's for sure. It was definitely a match I definitely should have won," Williams said.

"Obviously she's playing better but I just didn't play that well. If I was playing five percent better, this match is going to be mine."

Williams did not play a warm-up tournament but refused to blame her lack of match practice.

"This is definitely one of the tougher tournaments to win because you don't have the opportunity to get out there and play tons of matches," she said.

"I feel like I had the best preparation that I could have given myself. I feel like I was playing well, but tonight I was just off a bit and you can't afford to do that."

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