Venus Williams gets right back on court after loss in Wimbledon finals
WASHINGTON – Venus Williams sent shockwaves through the tennis world when she returned to the finals in Wimbledon earlier this July.
Though she lost to Garbine Muguruza, Williams wasted no time returning to the court again, this time to compete for the Washington Kastles in Mylan World Team Tennis nine days later.
“Honestly, I just went straight back to the court, and then I’ve been playing matches. I just haven’t stopped, and it’s a good thing,” she said. “I’m still playing good tennis. I want to keep that on lock.”
Williams fell to Muguruza, 7-5, 6-0, after making the Wimbledon finals for the first time since 2009. It was Murguruza’s first title at Wimbledon, while Williams had been vying for her sixth crown, but first in nine years.
Williams was crestfallen in the immediate aftermath, but in the days after she was able to identify some positive takeaways as she looks ahead to next month’s U.S. Open.
“The positives are that I’m just here in positions to win the titles I’m working for. So the key is just to keep putting myself in that position and have those opportunities,” she said.
“I’m excited about that — I’ll like to win six more rounds at the Open and be in that position again.”
Though Williams acknowledged she is excited about playing in the U.S. Open, she was characteristically guarded about her other emotions. When a reporter asked if she had allowed herself at any point to enjoy the Wimbledon run, Williams did not directly answer.
“I’m definitely forward-looking. As soon as that match is over, I was looking forward to playing better,” she said. “I want to be as flawless as possible.”
In her quest for perfection, Williams has won seven Grand Slam singles, as part of 49 WTA singles titles. Lately, much has been made of her age. However, for Williams, 37, who turned pro in 1994, the sport is still refreshing and she does not intend to stop anytime soon.
“I love the challenge. I love the opportunity to have something again, and to be able to pull more out of myself,” Williams said.
“That challenge doesn’t get old, it doesn’t get boring.”
Staying competitive in tennis has presented new challenges to Williams in recent years. In 2011, she announced she had been diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease. Despite facing amplified exhaustion and joint pain from the condition, Williams is pleased with how she is playing.
“I’m definitely happy with the level of my game. That’s where I want to play — aggressive and consistently is a dangerous combination,” Williams said.
She hoped to find that combination Tuesday night in front of a sold-out crowd at the Smith Center, as she returned to D.C. for her 12th season in the WTT and sixth with the Kastles.
“World Team Tennis is one of the biggest challenges because there’s just no room for error,” she said. “You can’t lose games. You have to win games and the match can go fast. So it’s extremely intense, nothing can really prepare you for it, except just being in there and playing it, and just feeling what’s working.”
Williams was a member of the 2011 and 2012 Kastles teams, both which went undefeated in season play and captured titles. However, playing in the WTT is about more than winning for Williams, who showed up early in D.C. to help run a kids clinic, volleying back and forth with dozens of children.
“I was in their position as well. I was young and loving the game and just wanted to give it my all, and now here I am on the other side,” she said.
“To hear people play the game because they saw me is out of this world, really.”
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