- Celebrated tennis star Venus Williams is not going back to playing tennis any time soon
- She picked a hamstring injury at the ASB Classic in Auckland
- She can now walk but cannot run or play tennis
Celebrated tennis star Venus Williams is not going back to playing tennis any time soon following an injury she picked before the 2023 Australian Open.
She says that she felt overwhelmed by the sudden injury, which will likely keep her away from the tennis courts for a while.
Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, was set to compete in more tournaments this year after only appearing in 13 events in 2022 due to a foot injury.
She started by accepting wildcard invitations for the ASB Classic in Auckland and the season-opening Grand Slam at Melbourne Park.
The 42-year-old got off to a good start in her campaign by winning the first round in New Zealand, but she struggled to a three-set loss to Zhu Lin in the following round.
Venus Williams. Photo/ GoBankingRates.
It is here that she picked a hamstring injury in the final set. Although she didn’t take it seriously at first, it turned out to be much more serious than she had anticipated, and she ultimately withdrew from the Australian Open.
“As the night progressed, and as I ate cookies – when I lose, my treat is sugar – and I’m sitting in bed, and my leg hurts,” she recently disclosed on her YouTube channel.
She adds: “It’s never a good sign when you’re in pain at rest. I really can’t walk that well, and I tell my physio, ‘Let’s get an MRI.’ I’m barely walking in this place, shuffling … walking, barely taking steps. I got my results later that day and, to no surprise, I had some tears in the hamstring attachment.”
It was a big shocker because she had been handed a wild card to play in the first Grand Slam of the year.
She said it was exciting going back to Australia, adding that it was an opportunity to please her fans again. The elder Williams’ previously won five Australian Open doubles titles.
Sadly, her hamstring injury kept her off the tournament, and she is recuperating but not fit enough to return to the court.
The fact that she would have to sit out several games for the 2023 season. Worse, she would have to go back to rehab and physiotherapy sessions.
Nevertheless, Williams is following up with every appointment by her doctors, hoping it will help her recover quickly.
Venus Williams is still suffering from a ligament injury she picked in August 2021. Photo/WTA Tennis
Now that she can walk, she is optimistic that she will run soon and get to a place where she feels confident again in her body.
“I think the next step for me is to get to a place where I feel confident in my body again,” she says.
At 42 and dogged by injuries for half of the 2022 season, many tennis fans are in limbo over how long she will play tennis.
They say that at her age, injuries take longer to heal, and her body is under so much strain, which makes it hard for her to play tennis for a more extended period.
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