Venus Williams has forever been known for her groundbreaking moves in tennis. Be it her fight for equal pay or becoming a role model for women of color, the American legend has been an icon in the true sense. At 45, she is still going strong in her career and will be seen in action at the upcoming US Open. It will be her first major tournament after more than a year, as she suffered from injuries and was sidelined for months. However, she is up and running again and shared some unseen pictures from her childhood while collaborating with a multi-billion-dollar brand.

Williams began her venture into tennis at a young age when her father took her to the public tennis courts for practice. She worked hard day in and day out to reach the stage where she is today. As a result, reflecting back to her childhood days, the American legend was proud to see her old self and took to her official Instagram handle to share pictures of her childhood days on the court.

The 7-time Grand Slam champion collaborated with $5.4 billion worth brand, Dove, to motivate women in tennis. She wrote, “Look at little Venus! I’m so grateful looking back at these photos to see this strong girl, playing the sport she loves. That’s why I’m so proud to be a #DovePartner as sports and the world of tennis has helped me stay confident and grateful for what my body can do, not just how it looks. This year, Dove is an official Partner of the US Open and every Dove purchase helps support girls in sports.”

Meanwhile, with her appearance at the US Open, Williams will set a rare record. She will become the oldest woman in 44 years to enter the main draw of the tournament. Back in 1981, Renée Richards entered the main draw of the US Open aged 47, which is a US Open record. Despite Williams being past her peak, she is as determined as ever to succeed in New York. Ahead of the US Open, she revealed the reason behind her comeback.

Venus Williams gives the main reason for her tennis comeback

Making her return to the sport at the Citi Open this year, Williams played a competitive gave after almost 16 months. She suffered from injuries for a large part and even had non-cancerous fibroids, due to which she had to undergo surgery. However, her love for the sport is second to none, and she wanted to return to the court.

Williams said, “No, because I’m not here for anyone else except for me, and I also have nothing to prove. Zip, zero. I’m here for me because I want to be here. And proving anyone wrong or thinking about anyone has never gotten me a win and has never gotten me a loss. No, because I’m not here for anyone else except for me, and I also have nothing to prove. Zip, zero. I’m here for me because I want to be here. And proving anyone wrong or thinking about anyone has never gotten me a win and has never gotten me a loss.”

The former World Number 1 will also play mixed doubles at the US Open. She will team up with Reilly Opelka, and it’ll be interesting to watch her in action there.