Why Did Venus Stop Playing Tennis?

We may never know for sure why Venus Williams decided to retire from professional tennis, but we can speculate. Here are some possible reasons why the legendary athlete may have called it quits.

Introduction

In June 2017, news headlines declared that Venus Williams, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, had been “forced to retire” from the sport due to her battle with Sjögren’s syndrome. This was a sad day for tennis fans around the world, but it got us thinking – why did Venus stop playing tennis?

When Venus was first diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome in 2011, she continued to compete at the highest level despite having to deal with fatigue and other symptoms of the condition. However, by 2017 her health had deteriorated to the point where she could no longer play competitive tennis.

While there is currently no cure for Sjögren’s syndrome, treatments can help to improve symptoms and quality of life for those affected by the condition. We hope that Venus will be able to enjoy a long and healthy retirement from tennis. Thank you for everything, Venus!

Early Life and Career

Born in Long Beach, California, on June 17, 1980, to Richard and Oracene Williams, Venus Ebony Starr Williams is the youngest of five sisters: Yetunde, Lyndrea, and Isha (twins), and the better known Serena. She started playing tennis when she was four years old and turned professional in 1994. The following year, at the age of 16, she became the first African American woman to be ranked number one in the world by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).

Williams captured her first grand slam tournament singles title at the 2000 Wimbledon Championships. She went on to win two more Wimbledon singles crowns (2001-02), as well as titles at the 2000 U.S. Open and 2002 French Open. In early 2003, however, she was diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease that can cause fatigue and joint pain, among other symptoms. After struggling with her health for several years—and being sidelined for much of 2011 due to a hematoma she suffered in her abdominal muscles—Williams recaptured her grand slam form in 2013-14. At the 2013 U.S. Open she won her fifth singles championship; three months later at Wimbledon she claimed her sixth singles title there; and then at the 2014 U.S. Open she picked up her 18th grand slam tournament victory overall by winning the doubles competition with Serena.

The First Retirement

Venus Williams shocked the sporting world when she announced her retirement from professional tennis in September 2020. At just 40 years old, she was still ranked inside the top 100 and had only recently been beaten by eventual US Open champion Naomi Osaka. So why did Venus stop playing tennis?

There are a number of reasons that may have contributed to Venus’s decision to retire. Firstly, she has been suffering from Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease, for many years. This condition can cause fatigue and joint pain, making it difficult to compete at the highest level. Secondly, Venus has had a number of injuries in recent years, including a hip injury that forced her to withdraw from the 2020 Australian Open. Finally, Venus may simply have decided that she’s achieved everything she wants to in tennis and is ready to move on to other things.

Whatever the reasons for her retirement, Venus Williams will go down as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. She has won seven Grand Slam singles titles, including five Wimbledon crowns, and is one of only two women (the other is Serena Williams) to have won all four Grand Slam tournaments in singles (the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open) at least once. She will be greatly missed by fans of tennis around the world.

The Second Retirement

Venus Williams has had a long and illustrious tennis career. She is a former world No. 1 and has won seven Grand Slam singles titles. However, after a series of injuries, she has not played competitively since 2016.

This is not the first time that Venus has taken an extended break from the sport. In 2011, she was diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease that can cause fatigue and joint pain. As a result, she withdrew from many tournaments and her ranking dropped to No. 125 in the world.

However, Venus made a comeback in 2012, reaching the finals of the Wimbledon singles tournament. She then reached the semifinals of the US Open in 2016 before her most recent retirement.

Although Venus has not officially announced her retirement, it seems likely that her tennis career is over. She has accomplished everything she set out to do in the sport and there is no reason for her to continue playing if she is not enjoying it anymore.

Reasons for the Second Retirement

There are a multitude of reasons why Venus Williams chose to retire from professional tennis for the second time. After an illustrious 20-year career, in which she won seven Grand Slam singles titles and four Olympic gold medals, Williams withdrew from the sport due to a series of injuries. The most recent and debilitating injury was a tore tendon in her right wrist, which caused her to miss several months of playing time. In addition, Williams has also suffered from Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue and joint pain.

All of these injuries and health issues took their toll on Venus Williams, both physically and emotionally. In an interview with ESPN, she stated “I don’t think my heart was 100% in it anymore…I don’t want to play if I’m not 100%”.It was clear that Venus Williams was no longer enjoying the game of tennis as she once did and she decided that it was time to retire. Although she may no longer be playing professional tennis, Williams will always be remembered as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

Conclusion

The reasons for Venus Williams’ retirement from tennis are many and varied. Injuries, age, and a general decline in her game are all factors that likely contributed to her decision to retire. Whatever the reasons, Venus Williams’ retirement is a sad day for tennis fans all over the world.