"I get really angry, I have a slight case of OCD" - When Serena Williams made honest admission about her mental health issues at Australian Open

At the 2009 Australian Open, Serena Williams made a rather surprising revelation, stating that she was no stranger to mental health issues. The American, at a time when discussion of mental health was still taboo, admitted that in addition to the occasional anger issues, she also suffered from a little bit of OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder).

At Melbourne that year, Williams took down Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Dementieva to reach the final, where she met Dinara Safina of Russia. While Safina was seeded No. 2 in the tournament, Williams was the third seed.

Speaking at her press conference before the final, Williams made the admission about her mental issues, adding that almost every tennis player had similar problems plaguing them.

"I mean, I have mental issues, too, so... I think everyone has mental issues. I get really angry and I'm a perfectionist. I have a slight case of OCD. Yeah, those are my issues," Serena Williams said.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion admitted that it was a self-diagnosis on her part, but felt she was accurate in her assessment. Williams also shed light on what rituals she follows to keep her OCD under control.

"It's definitely self-diagnosed. But I think I can pick it out - maybe. I think it's good to have it. I mean, you have a lot of order in your life. I like to be really order -- I like order. I'm not necessarily the neatest person in the world, but I do like to have that order," Williams said.

"I'm obsessed with my nails, too. I have to do them like every day. That's another OCD thing I have," she added.

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How did Serena Williams fare in the 2009 Australian Open final?

2020 Women's ASB Classic: Day 7 - Source: Getty

Against Dinara Safina in the final of the 2009 Australian Open, Serena Williams put on a flawless display. She beat the Russian 6-0, 6-3 to win her fourth title at Melbourne, as well as her 10th Grand Slam overall.

With the win, she also regained the World No. 1 ranking from Jelena Jankovic. Williams would go on to win 13 more Slam titles in her career, with her final one coming at the Australian Open in 2017.

After a two-decade-long career, the former World No. 1 retired in 2022, making her last appearance as a tennis professional at the US Open. There, she reached the third round, beating then World No. 2 Anett Kontaveit, but lost in the next match to Ajla Tomljanovic.