Venus Williams Talks Health, Her New Book, Fashion, Wimbledon and Her Dad
Venus Williams, the tennis veteran, women’s equal pay activist, and big sister, is having a year of rebirth.
Most recently, the tennis phenom became the second-oldest woman to take home a tour-level singles win at the Mubadala Citi DC Open. Fans have been waiting for this comeback, but don’t call it that. Although it was her first match in over a year, Venus never left.
The seven-time Grand Slam Champion shared this after that match, reports BET:
“Each week that I was training, I was like, 'Oh, my God, I don't know if I'm good enough yet.' And then there would be weeks where I would leap forward," Williams explained. "And there would be two weeks where I was like, 'Oh, God, it's not happening.' Even the week leading up, [I thought], 'Oh, my gosh, I need to improve so much more.' So it's all a head game."
In an interview with Marie Claire UK, the often private tennis superstar opened up about her younger days coming up in the sport, her goals, and special tournaments.
“Wimbledon is very special for me. My dad had said, ‘Pick a tournament you want to win before any other.’ Wimbledon is the pinnacle of tennis; it’s one of the hardest sporting tickets to get, so I picked Wimbledon. And by the time I got there, me and dad kind of had a pact, like, here’s the tournament you’re going to win.”
Venus didn't just win at Wimbledon, she dominated. She has held the Wimbledon trophy a remarkable five times throughout her career. Deemed a tennis prodigy, Venus’ first serve reached 100 miles per hour when she was just 10 years old, she went pro at 14, and she was the first unseeded player to make a Grand Slam final at the US Open when she was just 18.
In addition to four Olympic gold medals, seven Grand Slam singles titles, and 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, Venus was also a champion for women’s equal pay in the sport and helped to achieve that milestone for women’s tennis in 2007.
Venus, the first Black woman to be ranked number one by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), is not just a tennis phenom and activist. She shared with Marie Claire UK, her love for fashion and design.
“Design and wellness – this is kind of where I belong,” she shared.
“I love fashion, I really do. I used to always say I’m a recovering shopaholic, but I think I’ve finally recovered. It took forever,” she continued. “I love watching the runway and the shows. I was watching Men’s Fashion Week from afar, watching Pharrell [Williams’ runway show for Louis Vuitton]. It’s fun, it’s fascinating, it’s inspiring. I love it.”
Venus has also recently published a book on wellness, Strive, it is the tennis icon’s guide to physical and mental wellbeing.
After being diagnosed with an incurable autoimmune disorder, Sjögren's Syndrome, Venus devised the STRIVE strategy. It combines holistic and scientific strategies to achieve balanced health, allowing you to reach your individual performance goals. Venus’ approach emphasizes important ways to make improvement attainable and sustainable.
As for the tennis champion’s training and return to the sport, she had this to say:
“Well, I’ve never really played for fun.”
“I don’t know how anybody else trains, but I train till failure. Your whole body and spirit is so dialled in, and after you have been on the court, you head on over to the gym and then when you get out you can’t even walk.”
