Venus Williams’ return to professional tennis has stirred excitement among fans of the sport. One of the all-time greats appears to be fully back in action. And while she never officially announced a retirement, her recent comments suggest that what may have looked like a quiet exit was simply a pause to reconnect with her passion for competition and the unique adrenaline rush of WTA events.
After dealing with a chronic illness and undergoing surgery, Williams found herself in a period of recovery and introspection. But rather than seeing that chapter as the end, she chose to view it as part of a longer journey. According to her, there’s still plenty of gas left in the tank.
Now 45 years old, Venus has won both her singles and doubles matches at the Citi Open in Washington D.C. She’s currently competing in the Cincinnati Open thanks to a wild card and has already accepted an invitation to play in the U.S. Open Mixed Doubles event alongside Reilly Opelka.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion said these tournaments will likely be her final appearances in 2025. But what stood out most came when she addressed her future in the sport.
I don’t think you should ever rule me out,
She said.
Venus opens up about her health struggles
In a candid moment, Williams explained what happened during her 18-month absence from tennis. She revealed that she had long battled uterine fibroids throughout her career-a condition that caused intense discomfort and heavy bleeding, making it difficult for her to even walk upright at times.
She underwent surgery to have the benign growths removed. Reflecting on that time, she shared:
I was thinking of just about recovering from my health, but I think tennis is always in the back of my head, but I felt like I had time, as strange as that sounds.
Williams said, and added:
I felt like I had time just to get well and when I was on the court, I was always working on my game.
I didn’t just go and let it all fall apart. Even if it was just a half an hour, I just tried to get something out of it. It’s no secret that you get great legs and great arms in tennis, so I figured I may as well at least keep my figure if that’s the very least we do.
At the Citi Open, Venus pulled off a notable win over world No. 35 Peyton Stearns. However, she fell in the following round to Magdalena Ferch, the tournament’s fifth seed.
I think a lot of the motivation for me is just to come back and try to play in, in the best health that I can.
Williams added.
I never stopped hitting the ball even when I was away, not as, you know, intensely as you would if you’re playing tournaments, but I was still going out there.
This Thursday, August 7, Williams will face Spain’s Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro in their first-round matchup at the Cincinnati Open. All eyes will be on Venus to see how she holds up physically and mentally against younger, rising talent. With her competitiveness and hunger still evident, it seems Venus simply can’t imagine life away from the game.
Read the full article here
