Venus Williams provided an update on her career and pretty much said that she is not retired but also not actively looking to play.
The American, who will celebrate her 45th birthday in June, played her only two tournaments of the 2024 season in Indian Wells and Miami. A year prior, she took part in seven events.
In February, the Indian Wells organizers announced Williams as a wildcard recipient and that was the biggest proof yet that she wasn’t retired. But then, a major confusion ensued after the former world No. 1 herself revealed that she didn’t agree to play in Indian Wells.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion also didn’t play in Miami but she made a stop during the tournament and even hit some balls there. And in her latest YouTube vlog, she shared that she is still regularly hitting the court but mainly because she cares about her fitness and shape.
Williams: People ask If I’m playing, I say no…
“It’s actually pretty motivating to come back and see the competition. I love this part of my life. People look at me like, ‘Are you playing?’ and I’m like ‘No, I’m not.’ You know, it’s one thing to look fit, and it’s another thing to be really tennis-fit,” the 44-year-old said in the video.
“So, I really don’t have a plan for the first time in my life. Like, as an athlete, there’s a whole plan. And now, I just love playing, I’m going to play every day, and if I feel ready to play, then I will play.”
After Serena Williams retired in 2022, the general expectation was that Venus would probably do the same. But the five-time Grand Slam champion didn’t go that route.
However, while she is still listed as an active player, Williams evidently has no plans to compete on a regular basis and she may only appear in some tournaments when she feels like doing so.
Tennis World USA