Venus Williams Reflects on Her Future in Tennis
Former world number one and seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, Venus Williams, has expressed uncertainty about her future in tennis beyond the upcoming US Open. However, she hinted that her sporting career has not yet come to an end.During a press conference prior to the Cincinnati Open, where she received a wildcard to participate, the 45-year-old tennis player indicated that her recent comeback focused on the hard court season in North America. She does not plan to participate in other events in 2025. In addition to receiving a wildcard for the mixed doubles tournament, alongside her compatriot Reilly Opelka, she is also expected to receive a wildcard for the singles draw. Before her return to competition at the Citi Open in Washington D.C. last month, Williams hadn’t played since March 2024, which led to speculation about her possible retirement. Subsequently, she revealed that she underwent surgery to remove uterine fibroids last August. She confessed that at that time she couldn’t even stand up and walking was a challenge during her initial recovery, and that she was “far from playing professional tennis”. When he returned to the practice court, he didn’t focus on a formal comeback.I am very much in the moment. I don’t think they should ever count me out. That’s all I can say.
Venus Williams
Williams won her first-round match at the 500-level event in July with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Peyton Stearns, with great enthusiasm. She was also victorious in her first-round doubles match with her partner Hailey Baptiste. Williams called the fans’ response to her return and her performance “very sweet and motivating.” Williams made her professional debut in 1994 and won her first major singles title at Wimbledon in 2000. Throughout her career, she has won 49 singles titles, 14 Grand Slam doubles titles alongside her younger sister Serena, two mixed doubles crowns, and five Olympic medals, including four gold. Serena, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, retired from professional tennis in 2022. Currently ranked number 643, Williams will face Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the first round of the Cincinnati Open.I think tennis is always in the back of my mind, but I felt like I had time. As strange as it sounds, I felt like I had time to recover and, when I was on the court, I was always working on my game. I didn’t just let everything fall apart, even if it was only half an hour, I just tried to get something out of it. And obviously, it’s no secret that tennis gives you great legs and arms, so I thought I could at least keep my figure. That’s the least we do.
Venus Williams
