Venus Williams Fights Back Tears and Hints at Retirement After Crashing Out of US Open

Former World No.1 Venus Williams has never progressed to the second round of the US Open since 2020.

Venus Williams Fights Back Tears and Hints at Retirement After Crashing Out of US Open

Venus Williams (Image via X/Jimmie48 Photography)

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Venus Williams‘ campaign at the US Open has ended. She gave a tough fight to 11th seed Karolina Muchova, taking the second set off her, but in the end, the Czech ace prevailed, with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 scoreline.

At the press conference after the defeat, Williams was visibly fighting back tears while talking about her past health struggles. The 45-year-old struggled for years due to uterine fibroids, which caused heavy bleeding and pain. It kept her away from tennis for nearly two years.

I think for me getting back on the court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthy. When you play unhealthy, it’s in your mind. It’s not just how you feel. You get stuck in your mind, too. So…it was nice to be freer.

She underwent surgery for the uterine fibroids last year, and it has improved her overall health. Apart from the fibroids, Williams was also diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Sjogren’s syndrome in 2011. The disease caused her immense fatigue as well as pain in her joints, impacting her life as well as her tennis career.

The US Open is Williams’ third tournament since the 2024 Miami Open. In this year’s Citi Open, Williams accepted the wild card and became the oldest woman to win a tour-level match since Martina Navratilova in 2004, when she eliminated countrywoman Peyton Stearns.

But Williams lost her second-round match to Magdalena Frech. She then accepted the wild card for the Cincinnati Masters, where Jessica Bouzas Maneiro beat her.

Now that her US Open run is over, what’s next for her? Williams is uncertain about her next move, as at this stage of her career, she doesn’t want to travel much and play tournaments outside of the United States. And this is why it’s unclear whether Williams will be heading to Melbourne for the Australian Open next year.

Venus Williams on her match against Karolina Muchova

Venus Williams met Karolina Muchova for the second time in her career. In their previous encounter, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion was defeated in straight sets in the first round of the 2020 US Open. At the press conference after her US Open defeat to the World No.13, Williams recalled facing her for the first time.

Venus Williams (3)
Venus Williams (Image via WTA/X)

When I think about the match I played against her in 2020, I was so uncomfortable. I wasn’t well. I was in so much pain. Today it’s night and day how much better I felt, so I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to play in feeling better, and at that rate, have a real chance.

Muchova will next be squaring off against Solana Sierra or Sorana Cirstea. The 2023 French Open finalist has never progressed to the summit clash of the US Open, reaching the semifinals twice, in 2023 and 2024. Muchova hasn’t yet won a singles title this year. So far in her career, she has taken home just one trophy.

Williams is the winner of 49 singles titles, the last of which she clinched at the 2016 Taiwan Open by beating Misaki Doi. Since then, she has played four finals, including the 2017 Australian Open, which she lost to her sister Serena Williams. In her last Grand Slam final, Williams lost to Garbine Muguruza at the 2016 Wimbledon. The last singles final she played was at the 2017 WTA Finals, where Caroline Wozniacki denied her the win.

In the ongoing US Open, Williams also participated in the revamped mixed doubles. She paired up with compatriot Reilly Opelka, but they couldn’t beat the team of Andrey Rublev and Muchova. Opelka also suffered a first-round exit, losing the match to five-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz.

Also read: Petra Kvitova Reflects on the Proudest Moments of her Illustrious Career After her Retirement at the US Open