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Asked earlier this week about her legendary journey in professional tennis that spanned over 25 years, Venus Williams took a moment and reflected on what was most important to her.
“I try to improve myself every day,” she said on Monday after her first round victory at the Australian Open. “I think no matter what happens to you in life, you always keep your head up, you give a hundred million percent. This is what I do every day. This is something I can be proud of.
His words seemed to foreshadow what was to follow.
Trailing 5-1 and serving to stay in the first set of her second-round match against Sara Errani on Wednesday, Williams rolled her right ankle while approaching the net for a comeback. She screamed in agony and made her way around the pitch as she tried to deal with the pain. Tournament medical staff were called in and she fought back tears as they examined the injury and gave her treatment options. Already struggling with a nagging left knee injury as the Slam approached, medics taped the ankle and reinforced tape she already had on her left knee during consecutive medical downtime of more than 15 minutes .
Returning to the second round of a major tournament for the first time since 2019, she was determined to keep playing. Venus struggled to put weight on her right leg as she returned to the field, limping to the baseline. Errani quickly closed the game for the set.
As Williams walked back to his chair, commentators on the world broadcast said there was no way Williams could play another set and that his retirement from the match would be imminent. Williams sat up, briefly put her head in her hands, then stood up and began practicing her serve movement.
Venus Williams was not going to resign. Not like this.
Playing in her 350th career game in a major tournament, she had only retired from a game once, at the 2011 Australian Open. She wasn’t going to let that happen again.
For the next 31 minutes, the 40-year-old limped across the court, healing her ankle with every step, but never losing intensity. Venus was unable to push for her services, so they were weakened as she lay flat on the ground. She struggled to reach for the ball, but continued to fight, even dodging two match points in the dying moments.
Williams lost the match, 6-1, 6-0, but managed to provide the most inspiring moment of the 2021 tournament so far, spectators in love from all over the world with his perseverance and courage – a hundred million percent effort.
There is no shortage of inspirational moments in the sport, but Williams has added one more to the list. Some contestants had more on the line than Venus on Wednesday, like Tiger Woods playing through a torn ACL and double stress fracture en route to a 2008 US Open victory, or Kerri Strug battling an ankle injury to clinch a gold medal in the vault. 1996 Olympics. Others have had tough obstacles to overcome, such as Alex Smith who rebounded from a horrific and near-fatal leg injury to become the Washington football starting quarterback this season.
Williams on Wednesday showed once again why she is one of tennis’s greatest competitors and most committed players.
This is something that she has done several times during her career. Diagnosed with Sjögren syndrome in 2011, three years after her last major singles title, many expected her to give up the sport. Instead, she made drastic changes to her diet and devoted herself even more to health and wellness. She then enjoyed one of the best years of her career in 2017, playing two major finals and a semi-final.
Sometimes overshadowed by his younger sister Serena and seeing poor results since that time of 2017, Williams holds the second-largest touring title among active players (seven), but is largely overlooked these days. Her world rankings fell to No.81, leaving her headless in slams and often needing wild cards to compete in smaller tournaments. Speculation about her retirement seems to follow and grow after each loss, but when asked about her future, she explains that her passion for the sport remains strong.
“I love this game,” she said after a first round outing at the US Open in August. “I’m good at what I do. It’s easy to stay motivated and excited to do something so amazing. Not many people can do it.”
She declined to speak to the media on Wednesday evening, opting instead for medical treatment. But for her tour peers, many of whom grew up idolizing her, Venus continues to be a constant source of inspiration.
“I feel like every time I see [Venus], it’s really amazing how much she loves tennis, “said Naomi Osaka, three-time major champion after her first round match on Monday.” I see her smile so much nowadays, so it’s really nice to see. She just has this aura of loving sports and this contagious energy. I hope I can learn a lot from her. “
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