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‘You Can’t Function’- 12 Years After Scary Diagnosis, Tennis Legend Venus Williams Opens Up on Living With the Debilitating Condition

Published 08/05/2023, 12:36 AM EDT

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Certain diseases and disorders can affect an individual severely. Even the strongest of people fall into these disorders that end up impacting their careers. If we focus solely on tennis players who would fall under this category, Venus Williams would be the first name that comes to mind. Her Sjögren’s syndrome diagnosis in 2011 almost ended her career.

However, Venus being the fighter she is persisted with her career despite the disorder, and 12 years later, at the age of 43, the American is still competing at the highest level. Recently, Williams revealed the best ways to cope with the treacherous disorder and how she still manages to live her best possible life.

Venus Williams opens up on ways to deal with Sjögren’s syndrome

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Williams did a question-and-answer session on her latest YouTube upload. One of the viewers was recently diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome and asked Venus for advice. The 43-year-old took the question and gave a detailed explanation of how to deal with the syndrome. She mainly focused on the syndrome’s primary issues like dry eyes and dry mouth.

Venus said, “If your eyes are so dry, you can’t function. Or your mouth is so dry that, I don’t even want to mention the consequences. I hope you’re getting the care you need, find out what medicines work for you. Make sure you get enough sleep,  find out what your limit is. If you push past your limit, you can start to crash.” After dealing with the disorder for 12 years, Venus is well aware of the consequences.

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The former World No.1 then went on to instill some confidence in the patient. She further added, “You can still achieve the same things but you are going to have to do it in a way that you can sustain.

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Venus herself has managed to achieve her goals but in a sustainable way. But how did she limit herself?

Williams on shortening her tennis calendar

With age catching up and constant symptoms of the disorder, Venus had no choice but to reduce her playing time. It’s still a blessing for her to continue as most professionals hang up the racket at this age. By prioritizing her best surfaces, Venus has found a way out. She has been focusing mainly on Wimbledon and US Open in the last two years. The seven-time major champion will also be competing in the next week’s Canadian Open before entering New York.

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What are your expectations from Venus Williams at the US Open? Do let us know in the comments.

WATCH THIS STORY: Serena Williams pays tribute to Roger Federer.

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Written by:

Raghav Tikmany

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Raghav Tikmany is a tennis writer at EssentiallySports. After completing his under-graduation in Commerce, his passion for sports encouraged him to take up content writing in the field of sports journalism. He has prior experience in text commentary.
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Edited by:

Bhavani Singh