Venus Williams made her intentions clear last year that she wasn’t ready to retire by declaring, “I’m not done with the racket yet”. Although Venus last competed at Miami Open last year and experienced defeat to Diana Shnaider’s young talent Diana Shnaider, recent activity suggests she still may have ambitions on court; following an injury-induced hiatus and returning back for practice session she shared a throwback photo with Serena Williams that reignited fans’ hopes about potential comeback plans.
By the end of this month, Venus will officially have retired from competitive play and her profile in the WTA rankings will transition from purple to grey. Although reports of her retirement arose quickly, Venus kept fans in suspense with frequent practice sessions as well as turning down invitations due to scheduling conflicts–including one from Indian Wells tournament organizers!
Her training session witnessed alongside former doubles partner Ons Jabeur outside the Hard Rock Stadium implies Venus’s intent may lean towards a return. This notion gained further traction when Venus nostalgically posted a photo with Serena, reminiscing about their days dominating at Wimbledon, and tagging her sister in a playful caption.
Venus Williams’s Battle with Sjogren’s Syndrome
Venus Williams’s career faced substantial challenges after being diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease causing fatigue and joint pain, which she disclosed had significantly affected her performance and well-being. Venus shared her frustrations with unexplained exhaustion and difficulties in playing at her best before her diagnosis. The delay in diagnosing her condition had a profound impact on her career, highlighting the struggles many with autoimmune diseases face in getting accurate diagnoses.
Venus Williams remains unbowed despite these difficulties; her history and accomplishments — such as playing her final full season under Sjogren’s syndrome in 2019 — demonstrate how athletes of any age can overcome barriers and continue competing at high levels.
As Venus Williams continues training, speculation on her return to competitive tennis – potentially even Wimbledon – persists. Many are asking whether this icon of tennis will once more grace its courts with her indomitable spirit that made Serena so beloved.