Venus Williams may not be done with professional tennis just yet. While the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion attended the Miami Open last month as a spectator, she hasn’t ruled out the possibility of stepping back onto the court as a competitor.
In an April 1 video recap of her time at the WTA tournament, Venus reflected on her love for the game, admitting that being at the event reignited her competitive spirit.
“It’s actually pretty motivating to come back and see the competition,” she shared. “I loved this part of my life. People look at me like, ‘Are you playing?’ I’m like, ‘No, I’m not.’ And they’re like, ‘When are you playing?’”
At 44, Venus admitted that, for the first time in her career, she doesn’t have a set plan.
“As an athlete and a player, there’s always a whole plan—like, ‘I’m gonna play this tournament and these tournaments so I’d be ready for that tournament,’” she explained.
“Now it’s like, ‘Oh, I love playing. I’m gonna play every day.’ And if I feel ready to play, then I’ll play.”
She even teased a potential return, revealing that she’s still keeping her game sharp.
“I may not be in the draw, but that doesn’t mean I can’t help sharpen someone else’s game,” Venus said, referencing how she helped fellow tennis star Ons Jabeur prepare for the Miami Open. “Let’s be honest, I’m still keeping my own game ready, just in case.”
While Venus hasn’t played a professional match since the 2023 Miami Open, she’s never officially retired—a fact she had to clarify after her sister Serena Williams stepped away from the sport in 2022.
“As that moment gets closer, Serena ruined it for me,” Venus joked in an October 2024 interview. “Because as soon as she retired, everybody thought I retired.”
However, when the time does come, she knows she won’t be overwhelmed with sadness.
“I always thought that I would be just crying when I had to retire, because it’s all you know,” she reflected.
“It’s the first thing you think about when you wake up, the first thing when you go to bed. You dream about it.”
Instead, Venus believes she will feel gratitude rather than sorrow.
“Now I realize that I won’t cry because I’ve definitely given everything to this sport,” she said. “I think more than anything, I’ll be grateful.”
For now, Venus Williams isn’t making any official announcements—but her continued presence on the court suggests that a return may not be out of the question.
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