6 days ago
'I've always played for me.' Venus Williams returns to Cincinnati Open on her own terms
MASON, OH − Venus Williams has always lived an unapologetic life, controlling what she can control while passionately committing herself to the sport she loves.
That's why it's odd that her illustrious career began with something she had no control of whatsoever.
On Halloween Night in 1994, Williams made her professional debut at just 14 years at the Bank of the West Classic in Oakland, California. The toughest part might have been keeping her composure while the Rolling Stones' Voodoo Lounge World Tour roared next door at the Oakland Coliseum.
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Right around "Beast of Burden," or maybe, "Sympathy for the Devil," Williams finished a straight-set victory over Shaun Stafford.
"Mick Jagger, this is my message to you: I was playing my first professional match next to you," Williams laughed. "It was a beautiful thing and a great start."
Now, the end is near, but Williams won't put a timetable on when she'll hang it up for good. The 45-year-old, who was awarded a wild card to the Cincinnati Open, made another comeback in July following a 16-month absence. Last summer, she underwent surgery for uterine fibroids, which affects up to 80% of women by age 50, according to NYU Langone Health.
"This is a super important issue because so many people go through this," Williams said.
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Williams never stopped hitting the ball, even when she could hardly walk. Even if it was for a few minutes, at whatever intensity she could manage.
"Now, a year later, I'm in a completely different space and I have a clean bill of health, thank God. I'm ready to play and compete.'
Despite a three-decade career, Williams still felt time was on her side. Time to recover from surgery, time to ramp up her serve, time to hit the ball with a ferocity worthy enough for the WTA tour.
In July, Williams became the oldest player to win a WTA tour event in 21 years when she knocked out Cincinnati native Peyton Stearns in the first round of the DC Open.
"Love is the key, right? If you don't love it, then get out of it if you have that luxury," Williams said. "I think a lot of motivation for me is to try to come back and play in the best health that I can. You have to live your life on your own terms. It doesn't matter what anyone else says or thinks, if you get to live life on your own terms, it's a life well-lived."
Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion who made a run to the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals in 2019 and semifinals in 2012, knows the questions about her age are coming every time she steps on the court. But her message remains to control what she can control.
She can't control her age, or that she needed surgery, but her preparation and mindset take top priority when it involves returning to tennis.
"You're never too young or too old to lose. Losing knows no age," Williams said. "All that matters for me is that I'm prepared and ready. I really have to stay focused on me, play it one point at a time and try to win for myself. I've always played for me."
Will this be Williams' final Cincinnati appearance? She might live on her own terms, but Williams doesn't ruminate too far down the road. Right now, she's thankful for a clean bill of health and a first-round matchup against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro Aug. 7 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.
"I'm very much in the moment," she said. "I don't think you should ever rule me out. That's all I will say."
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Venus Williams returns to Cincinnati Open
