Venus Williams is experiencing a second wind in her career after facing significant health challenges. The former Grand Slam champion made a remarkable return to court at the City DC Open, where she had a dream debut with a win in the round of 32 against Peyton Stearns.
However, her Cinderella story came to a quick end after falling to Magdalena Frech of Poland in the round of 16. Still, every match Venus Williams plays is a triumph in itself, not only because she is 45 years old, but also because she is courageously competing after publicly revealing her recent battle with fibroids.
The tennis world has rallied around the American legend, offering strong words of encouragement and support. Most recently, it was Naomi Osaka, the former U.S. Open and Australian Open champion, who added her voice to the growing chorus.
The message from Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka has firmly established herself as one of the top players in the world, with a decorated WTA career that includes multiple Grand Slam titles. Having faced both Venus and Serena Williams on several occasions, Osaka knows firsthand the talent, strength, and legacy the Williams sisters bring to the sport.
During the Citi DC Open, Osaka was asked if she had the opportunity to talk with Venus in her post-game media duties. “I haven’t gotten to interact with her like in a more than ‘we were both going to practice’ type of thing. But for me, she’s like the queen,” the Japanese star praised Venus.
The former Grand Slam champion expressed her surprise at the media’s absence from Venus Williams’ match, “And I’m honestly kind of surprised that you guys are still here, because I don’t know if she’s playing right now or about to walk on court.” Osaka remarked. “There’s a royal air around her.”
Naomi Osaka shares her thoughts on Venus and Serena Williams
Naomi Osaka talked about her insights into the moments she watched any of the Williams sisters in a match, “Yeah, I feel like whenever I see her or Serena, it’s like the kid in me comes out. They were my favorite players to watch, so it’s really cool that she’s kind of doing it for the fans too.”
“I grew up watching them, and then I was able to play with them. As a player myself, I know how difficult it is to be at the top for even that long of a time; even that’s really insane. And I think people should value them a bit more. They are my mothers, they are the queens,” ended up saying Naomi about the Williams sisters.
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