This week, Venus Williams' tour schedule called for an unusual travel itinerary. She had to fly from Germany to Oklahoma.

It sounds like route a U.S. military person would traipse. For Williams, returning to Oklahoma City brings back the memory that warmed her last winter -- her first professional singles title.

She came within one match of leaving Europe with the momentum of another title, losing to venerable pro Jana Novotna in the final Sunday at the Faber Grand Prix in Hannover, Germany.

Novotna carried a No. 3 ranking into that 6-4, 6-4 defeat of the sixth-ranked Williams. But when it comes to adoration, the 30-year-old Novotna always will trail far behind Venus. Williams holds an ability to captivate tennis with a verve that can be enough to satisfy fans of both the women's and men's tours.

Her athleticism and sheer power are unique. As she matures personally, Williams doesn't seem to worry about being candid. If she finds a question off-putting -- and sometimes, it should be noted, she is too quick to take offense when an inquiry is nothing more than a miscommunication -- Williams will challenge the questioner.

Williams' breakthrough at the 1997 U.S. Open, where she lost in the final to Martina Hingis, began a new surge of popularity for women's tennis.

Women's tennis was ready for someone new. Steffi Graf had been contending with injuries and personal issues. Monica Seles was on her own comeback journey. Anna Kournikova was within a whisker of becoming a young icon. The public doesn't seem to latch on to steady players such as Novotna, who quietly just go about the business of winning.

"I CAN'T PERSONALLY SAY that I was all the way responsible," Williams said before the Oklahoma City tournament, "because, of course, there had to be other players who were making it exciting, playing exciting matches against me. I had to have someone to play.

"And, obviously, I am not the only player who is out there doing great things. I am doing the best I can do and, definitely, other players are competing and competing well."

Williams not only won the singles title at last year's IGA Super Thrift Tennis Classic in Oklahoma City, but she took the doubles event with her sister, Serena.

A month later, those two titles paled in comparison to her first Tier I title victory at the Lipton Championships in Florida, playing before what was essentially a home crowd. Williams resides about an hour north of the Lipton's Key Biscayne facility in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

"I believe I can do anything in tennis, and that way I can have an open mind to do anything," Williams said. "I think that, at this point, I have to improve my consistency and actually just get out there and be able to win matches day-in and day-out, just like all the champions and great players before me have done."