Venus Williams stages inspiring comeback at 45 following crippling health battle

"She played a great game. Also, some luck there, as well. That's just the sport. That's how it works sometimes. But it was an amazing moment."

She became the oldest woman to play in the Australian Open (Getty Images)

Venus suffered from a debilitating health battle before returning to tennis due to her uterine fibroids, and had them removed in 2024. She recalled to NYU Langone Health that the fibroids had taken a serious toll on her health, career and wellbeing for almost 30 years, as she lived with symptoms like intense cramps, heavy bleeding, nausea and anemia. 

You may also like

1. Venus Williams reveals how she truly felt returning to tennis after debilitating health issues

2. Venus Williams' net worth is jaw-dropping

3. Venus Williams is married! Inside tennis star's lavish 5-day wedding featuring multiple dresses, a yacht party, and more

"I didn't associate the fibroids with my symptoms. I had no idea that fibroids had symptoms," she said. "No one ever explained that to me, so I didn't connect these issues to something that could be treated. I didn't know I was living with something out of the ordinary, and I think that's a real problem."

The athlete underwent surgery to remove her uterine fibroids (Instagram)

Things got so bad for Venus that she collapsed in the locker room during Wimbledon in 2016, and her sister ran for help. "I was in so much pain, my sister took matters into her own hands and brought in a doctor to help me get off the floor," she recalled. "But that was a turning point for me, when things started to get really bad."

Venus collapsed in pain during the Wimbledon competition in 2016 (AFP via Getty Images)

The star shared on The Jennifer Hudson Show that it was "honestly frightening" to make a comeback after recovering from her myomectomy. "It was so stressful. I know that I can play, but it's one thing to get out there and execute it, and then to execute it quickly without not a lot of time to get it right," she said. 

"And also, going into it, my body let me down so many times, so recovering from trauma, like when I got out there, I didn't really believe in my body…So it makes you believe less in yourself. So I had a lot of learning [to do] this summer. It was thrilling, exhilarating, frightening, but I loved every minute of it. I learned so much. It was just one of the best times of my life."