WIMBLEDON, England -- Venus Williams said on Monday that seven-time Wimbledon singles champion Steffi Graf was not a grass-court player although she was a great champion.

"I didn't consider Steffi a grass-court player. I considered her a champion, sure. She never really came in and never served and volleyed," said 22-year-old Williams, who is bidding for her third successive Wimbledon crown this year. "I don't think that was exactly grass-court tennis."

Williams said she thought Belgian qualifier Els Callens -- beaten in straight sets by the younger Williams sister Serena in the third round last week -- and 1998 All England Club finalist Nathalie Tauziat of France were better examples of a true grass-courter.

"I haven't actually played a grass-court player," she said. "Serena played Callens the other day and she's a good grass-court player and maybe also Tauziat."

Asked who she rated as the greatest woman grass-court player, Williams said: "I don't know. My memory goes back to 1989 and most of the players that I remember have been baseliners."

Former world No. 1 Graf, whose seven Wimbledon crowns exceeds the four majors Williams has captured so far, won 22 Grand Slams when she dominated women's tennis during the late 1980s and 1990s.

Information from Reuters was used in this report.