"I don’t want anyone to feel the way I did" - Venus Williams gets honest about how chronic health issues forced her to get out of her 'private' life

The iconic player, Venus Williams, has shared her thoughts on her chronic health issues, which prompted her to open up while highlighting the importance of women's healthcare. The veteran was last seen in action at the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open.

Williams, the older sibling of Serena Williams, is one of the greatest players in the history of women's tennis. In her decorated career, she has clinched 49 WTA Tour singles titles, 22 doubles titles, four Olympic gold medals, and a silver medal. However, during her career, she faced multiple health issues, including Sjögren's syndrome, a long-term autoimmune disease, after which she adopted a vegan diet.

Williams' other health issues included suffering from adenomyosis and uterine fibroids. She came forward with her health woes, which she had been suffering from for decades. Both of these health issues are gynaecological conditions that affect the uterus and its functions.

In her recent interview with Marie Claire, the Lynwood, California, native expressed her thoughts on her health challenges. Furthermore, she also pointed out a lack of knowledge around topics of women's healthcare.

"I don’t want to share anything in my life. I’m a very private person; that’s just my personality. But speaking up is so important: I don’t want anyone else to feel the way I did. The most difficult thing [for] getting diagnosed is the simple fact that nobody knows about it."

She continued:

"If you went on the street today and asked a woman, ‘What is a uterine fibroid?’ she probably wouldn’t be able to explain. She may have heard of it, but she probably couldn’t say what your symptoms were, so there’s a lot of lack of education."

At the 2025 Mubadala Citi Open singles, Venus Williams lost in the Round of 16, and in the doubles category, she reached the quarterfinals with Hailey Baptiste.

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Venus Williams reflects on her significant win at the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open

Venus Williams at the Mubadala Citi DC Open 2025 - Day 4 - Source: Getty

In her 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open run, Venus Williams became the oldest player to win a tour-level singles match. During her post-match press conference, she reflected on her views on her major win at 45 over Peyton Stearns in the Round of 32.

"A lot. I mean, the meaning of this win, there's a lot of work that goes into this kind of preparation. It's just about love, right? If you have enough love for it, then you'll put in the effort. I love it so much," she shared.

In her 2025 season, Williams declined a main-draw wildcard for the Indian Wells tournament.