Tennis legend Venus Williams showed off her poise under duress in an interview, quickly reversing an insensitive question about her “weight gain.” She skillfully and wryly responded to the invasive query, drawing attention to the unfair treatment of female athletes in the media. The 43-year-old tennis star boasted about how she took it as a “challenge” and gracefully handled the situation with her wit and presence of mind.

However, Venus Williams highlighted the pressure of having to answer questions based on her weight and criticized the mindset that works behind it. Her latest podcast interview sheds light on the struggles that she had to face off-court about various important issues like this. Let’s delve deeper into how she managed to navigate around such intrusive questions!

Venus Williams masterfully handles an inappropriate query from a reporter

During the podcast called “The School of Greatness,” Venus Williams described an incident where she had to face an insulting question from a reporter. Rather than appearing surprised or insulted, she skillfully shifted the subject by inquiring about the source of her purported weight gain. “I was at this tournament, and the reporter asked me, did I gain weight? And I took it as a challenge, like, Okay, if you want to ask me that question, little let’s dive on. I said, don’t worry, did I gain it? And how much?” Venus Williams inquired.

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This was a very shrewd move that not only sidestepped the incorrect question but also highlighted how ridiculous it is to ask such a thing, especially when it comes to women. The reporter quickly apologized, but Williams pressed the matter and further asked, “I want you to answer the question. Like, where did I gain the weight? Where do you see it?”

Venus Williams questioned the extent to which the pressure of being an athlete invades an individual’s personal choices. She acknowledged her weight gain but also posed an important question along with it. “I put on maybe five pounds, like five pounds, on a 6’1″ frame? How hard can you be?” she said. Venus Williams also made a poignant statement regarding the obvious double standards regarding male and female athletes on this subject.

Venus Williams Draws From Her Life’s Struggles to Offer Prudent Advice on Playing High-Level Tennis

Williams challenges the unfair treatment that she had to go through

Venus Williams showed off her quick wit and determination to question cultural conventions that unjustly scrutinize women’s physiques, particularly in professional sports, with her swift reply to the interviewer. She brought attention to the deep-rooted sexism that infiltrates discussions about the looks of female athletes by refusing to respond to the reporter’s question. She admitted during the podcast by saying, “So I’ve personally had to go through the most ridiculous questions that, no, they’re never going to ask a guy that, you know, did you gain weight?”  

Williams further underlined the duress of being in such a position and said, “It’s a lot of pressure.” Venus Williams sets an example for women everywhere by refusing to be under such scrutiny, inspiring them to rebel against unfair expectations and seek the respect they are due.

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