If this is the last time Venus Williams, 45, exits the US Open, only time will tell.
There may still be more room in the tank, based on the American icon’s performance in the gallant first-round defeat of Czech 11th seed Karolina Muchova.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion, however, did not want to look too far ahead at the conclusion of a moving performance.
Instead, she reflected on how she has fought the odds against the odds by pushing the world’s best players back from serious health issues.
In a heartfelt post-game press conference, Williams said, “Getting back on the court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthy.”
“Your mind is contagious when you play unhealthy.” Not just your feelings, either. You also become enthralled inside your head. So being free was nice.
Williams reacted furiously in what ended up being her final response before the interview was cut short due to a protracted silence.
Williams was identified with Sjogren’s syndrome, an unremarkable autoimmune condition that causes pain, numbness, and fatigue in 2011.
She revealed last month how painful fibroids, which are abnormal growths that develop in the uterus, had also had an impact on her.
After falling to Williams at the 2020 US Open with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 defeat on Monday, Williams recalls how she felt “uncomfortable” against the same opponent.
“I wasn’t well,” I said. I was sore. Today, Williams expressed his admiration for me, “how much better I feel.”
What does the future hold for me, though?
Williams, who had spent the entire year without competing, was declared an inactive player earlier this season.
Then, out of nowhere, Williams declared she was ready to play again at the Washington Open as soon as the tennis world’s eyes were trained on Wimbledon.
Williams whets her appetite for more competitive action by defeating Peyton Stearns in her Washington comeback.
The two-time champion earned a wildcard for his record-extending 25th US Open appearance despite a first-place defeat in Cincinnati.
Some claimed that a younger player’s development was halted by a veteran winning one game in more than two years in the 128-woman draw.
Others argued that the chance to compete should always be given to an enduring great.
Williams’ impressive performance in the face of Muchova overcame her initial anxiety.
It appeared to be a bad sign of things to come when she only managed to score two of the opening 13 points, which created a subdued atmosphere at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Williams won her first match point, and as she started to gain traction, Williams’ cheers grew louder.
Sheacted as a confidence-builder, which resulted in more fluent timing and movement, and improving her service skills proved to be crucial to the turnaround.
The ball-striking was still as fresh and crisp as it had been for a while.
Williams faded in a crucial set where Muchova sharpened and served well given that she only had four matches to play in 18 months.
Williams had established a point. She remained evasive when questioned about her plans to play more tournaments later this year.
Do the States have any tournaments? Can a tournament be moved here, please? she inquired.
At this stage in my career, I’m not sure if I’m willing to go play that far.
I’m here because I fear I’ll never see her again.
Fans flocked to Flushing Meadows to pay tribute, but there is a good chance this might be Williams’s last chance of winning the US Open.
Due to her age, Dorothy Blagmon, who was born in New York City but has resided in Atlanta since 1988, was hesitant to attend this year.
When Williams’ playing date was revealed, the 79-year-old changed her mind.
Venus and Serena’s father trained them, and she said, “I’ve been a fan since I first started playing tennis,” she said. “I’ve watched almost all of their matches.”
I’m not going to see her again, but it’s because I’m unable to come here.
“I don’t have bad health, but I’m 80 in December, darn that,” I thought.
Williams’ aggressive, first-strike tennis altered the face of the WTA Tour by using her height to generate power.
Serena, her younger sister, went on to win 23 major titles, and it became a model for success.
In the late 1990s and the early 2000s, as well as for millions of other girls of all ages, the pair served as a role model for a generation of African-American girls growing up.
Venus Williams further piqued fans’ interest by leading the battle for equal prize money for women’s players and how, despite her health issues, she has continued to pursue her career.
Venus is “super-iconic,” said 32-year-old Manhattan resident Chanese Allen.
When I first saw her on TV screens, I grew up watching her and playing ever since. It was incredible to see someone I could relate to.
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