“It just got too bad, and I couldn’t handle it,” said Venus Williams, while revealing what she went through in the last year. At 45, she made a stunning comeback to tennis just a week ago in Washington. But the story behind the comeback is gut-wrenching. The WTA pro, who managed to recover from a severe health condition, recently opted to shed light on her challenges before she could pick up the racket again. This includes a life-saving surgery, but scary nonetheless, and a painful road to recovery. But her indulgences post-surgery will shock you.

The former World No.1 took to Instagram to share a throwback post from a year ago, a reflection of her battle with fibroids. Her health condition was so severe that she had intense nausea, extreme pain, and heavy menstrual bleeding. She also shared an array of stories in which the 45-year-old reflected on her post-surgery emotions. And her first thought after regaining consciousness? “Gym…I wanna go the gym”, she mumbled. Describing that moment, she wrote, “Me trying to be back to training right after surgery I’m not even in my right mind!”

In another story, Williams recalled the moment after being “rolled out of recovery.” She mentioned that she was “in there a while bc I was in a lot of pain.” And then there was another story in which she explains her emotions before surgery, “I was still lucid”

In her Instagram post, Williams mentioned she was told, prior to the surgery that she “was inoperable. I was told I could bleed to death on the table. I was told to get a surrogate and forget the hope to carry my own children. I was misdiagnosed. I went untreated for years and years and years.” After going through this ordeal with her own self, she has now come to understand that it is imperative “to advocate for your health!”

But now, there’s no going back. The veteran is all set to start a new chapter on the court. And what could be a better welcome than at the US Open?

Venus Williams looks to entertain fans at the US Open mixed doubles experience

Venus Williams played her last WTA event in 2024, at the Miami Open. Last month, she resumed action for the first time at the Mubadala DC Citi Open and made her presence felt, in style. After 2023, she registered her maiden professional win when she bested compatriot Peyton Stearns in straight sets. “This is the best result, to play a good match and win,” she said while reacting to her opening round victory in Washington D.C.

Reflecting on her health struggles and then making a comeback, she added, “It’s hard to describe how difficult it is to play a first match after so much time off.” After defeating Stearns, Williams, 45, became the oldest woman to win a main draw WTA match in over two decades. Before her, tennis legend Martina Navratilova accomplished this feat. Back in 2004, she won a professional match at the age of 47.

“I’m just constantly praying for good health, so that way I could have an opportunity to play with good health,” Williams emphasized. “A lot of this for me is being able to come back and try to play at a level (and) to play healthy.”

Williams will next be seen during the mixed doubles event at the US Open. Next month, before the singles experience, the fan week will kick off. It will see renowned singles players in pairs stepping onto the court. The likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Emma Raducanu, Jannik Sinner, Emma Navarro, Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud will appear in teams. They will compete for a lucrative $1 million prize purse. And what about Venus? Well, she will play alongside rising ATP sensation and compatriot Reilly Opelka.

This year will mark Williams’ first appearance at the US Open after 2023. Two years ago, she couldn’t leave a lasting impression after exiting in the first round during her singles campaign. Do you think her new journey in doubles will be memorable this season? Let us know in the comments below.