At the age of 45, tennis legend Venus Williams returned to competition for the first time in 16 months. Her return saw her take home a singles win at the WTA Citi Open in Washington, making her the oldest woman to win a singles match since 2004. Last week, she competed in singles at the Cincinnati Open. Williams keeps proving that the love of the game never expires.

Williams’ Unwavering Love of Competition

In the opening round of the Cincinnati open, Williams exited after a loss to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. Despite the early loss, Williams has nothing to prove to the world of tennis. Her decorated legacy includes 71 WTA titles and 21 Grand Slam titles. She isn’t back on the court to prove her worth. 

She’s back for her unconditional love of the game.

“Love is the key, right?” said Williams via The Guardian. “If you don’t love it, then get out of it. If you can, if you have that luxury, not everyone has that luxury. For me, I think a lot of the motivation for me is just to come back and try to play in the best health that I can,” she continued.

Shortly before the tournament, Williams was outspoken about ongoing health issues she has, battling fibroids for years. These are non-cancerous tumours that women can develop around their uterus, causing painful symptoms and heavy bleeding. She had them removed in a surgical procedure a year ago after being misdiagnosed for years and being told she was not operable. Williams now wants to use her experience to shine a light on the importance of women’s health. 

“I just remember after my surgery, I was feeling so much gratitude but I was able to have the resources to finally get through that, and I remember that was the biggest feeling that I had. And at that point, I was nowhere near playing professional tennis, but now a year later, I’m in a completely different space, and I have a clean bill of health, thank God, and I’m ready to play and compete,” she said.

One thing Williams strongly believes is the importance of not caring what anyone else thinks and living life the way she desires. “And I think that at the end of the day, you have to live your life on your own terms. Your terms should be yours,” she said. 

Leaving Tennis Better Than She Found It

Williams has made sure her contributions in the game of tennis didn’t just end at competition. She is a trailblazer and advocate when it comes to equal pay in the Grand Slam, and has always fought for equality within the sport. She recalled a meeting with board members at Wimbledon the night before winning the 2005 final, known as the “close your eyes” speech.

“At that point I went into this room and I asked everyone to close their eyes. I said, ‘Now that your eyes are closed, you don't know if that person next to you is a man or a woman, but everyone's heart beats the same way. Would you want your daughter or your sister or your mother or your wife or a loved one that was a woman to be paid less?’” she recalled via Express. 

Just two years after the iconic speech, Wimbledon equalized prize money across all competitions. She feels that she still has a responsibility to promote women's sports and tennis. Especially when it comes to fighting for equality, equity, and advocacy.

After returning to play in Washington, she said “I always felt a big responsibility towards promoting tennis and also promoting women's sports. I think that this generation can't forget that, that women, we still have lots to fight for and an example to set. It's so important,” via Express.

Williams’ sights are set on the US Open next, where she received a wildcard entry into the tournament. She will be competing in mixed-doubles and singles starting August 24th. Her continued comeback shows that a true champion plays for love, fights for change, and never stops inspiring.