Venus Williams on acknowledging mental health: "It has allowed me to love the game of tennis for this long"
WTA
Venus Williams is still playing at the age of 41 with no signs yet at least in the short term that the former World No.1 is ready to retire.
But as she detailed in a recent column for the New York Times, it is all down to mental health and acknowledging it that her longevity and toughness has been accrued in the game.
“My sister Serena and I were taught that we’d have to fight harder than other players to get the respect we deserved. That’s what I thought ‘tough’ meant,” Williams wrote for a piece in the New York Times.
“Paying attention to my psychological well-being has allowed me to love the game of tennis for this long. I guess you could say, it’s the thing that has really made me tough.”
"I may be a professional tennis player, but I actually don't think I'm that different from everyone else. All of us face mental health challenges resulting from the inevitable setbacks and uncertainties of life."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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