How a tennis champion copes with a diagnosis

And while she may be joking about the steak, the wellness retreat in question was a transformative moment in Venus’ life. In 2011, she was diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome, an incurable autoimmune disease that causes pain, numbness, and fatigue. Seeing how she struggled with the diagnosis, Serena suggested they take the retreat to see if making some changes would help her cope. It had a huge impact, as Venus became a vegetarian and completely rethought her approach to her body; she now follows a plant-based, sugar-free diet to alleviate symptoms of exhaustion, and she says her condition is manageable.

Alpaca dress, Carven; white gold and diamond earrings, Van Cleef & Arpels

Her interest in wellness prompted her to write a book, Tryeight-step program for physical and mental well-being, released this month. “I want to help people have fun while being healthy,” he says. “It shouldn’t be hard or a terrible journey.”

Of course, as a five-time Wimbledon champion with four Olympic gold medals under her belt, Venus knows how to overcome physical challenges. Still, she says Sjögren’s tested her in ways she hadn’t experienced before. It was the extreme fatigue that affected her the most. “I had all sorts of symptoms, but it was really tough as an athlete. When you break down, you’re going so hard you literally can’t get up,” she says. “But I got up anyway because I had to. Lying in bed is no fun. There’s no substitute for feeling good. I needed a change of pace.”

For the first time in her career, she couldn’t just get through it. “It took seven years to get diagnosed,” she says. “It was mind-boggling. I wasn’t living up to my potential and I didn’t know why. Was I working too hard? What was I doing wrong? That has its consequences, and it’s not easy to get on stage when you don’t have much to offer.” In her book, she reveals that there was a misconception in the past that she was “superhuman.” So when she finally got the diagnosis, she felt a sense of relief. “Like, ‘Oh, I’m not crazy.’”

Organic cotton moleskin dress, Marni; leather heel, Miista; jewelry all Van Cleef & Arpels

“I didn’t feel like myself for a while,” she admits. “But at the same time, it was hard to accept. I got used to doing what I wanted to do, working hard and staying in shape. Understanding that this wasn’t something you could work through, that this was your life now… that was hard.” She relied on the mental strength she’d developed over her years of playing tennis to keep her going. “Being mentally strong is so important,” she says. “Not just in sports, but in life. You have to make it here, no one else can make it for you.”

It’s obvious — she’s incredibly calm, composed and confident in her abilities. “I can handle a ton of pressure,” she continues. “Sports teaches you how to deal with everything you’re going to face in life — stress, insecurity, figuring out how to perform, how to come back if you don’t make it… Athletes make better decisions (in those moments).”

Venus says she prefers to confront problems head on rather than let them linger. “When I was younger, if I had a bad practice, I had a terrible day,” she explains. “After a while, I’d think, ‘I can’t live like this anymore. I’m sick of being so nervous.’ Stress is hard, but it’s temporary. You can’t carry it around with you, so I compartmentalize it. Whatever happens, it’s going to be okay. You don’t want to die with all this!”

Dress in viscose and satin, Ferragamo; Calfskin brogues, Gianvito Rossi; rings, Tiffany & Co.

The topic of mental health and sport was at the forefront of this year’s Paris Olympics, underlining the overwhelming responsibility that comes with being at the top of your game – and staying there. British swimmer Adam Peaty returned to this year’s games after taking a break in recent years due to periods of depression and struggles with alcohol. “I got to a point in my career where I didn’t feel like myself. I didn’t feel happy swimming. I had my hand on the self-destruct button because if I didn’t get the results I wanted, I would destroy myself,” he said last year. Meanwhile, American gymnast Simone Biles has returned to her gold-medal-winning form after withdrawing from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics due to her mental health.

Venus says she has always made a conscious effort to take care of herself in this way. “Definitely, proactively. That means training yourself to deal with the issues that come up in your life and preparing yourself for what might come.”

Has it ever been too much for her? “I’ve never been close to burnout, although I did say last week that I needed a permanent vacation! But I overextended myself with my schedule for a few months. It was my decision. We don’t always have a choice, but those rest periods are so important.”

Although she doesn’t suffer from anxiety on a regular basis, she does sometimes have trouble interacting with the public in her work. “I think we all have situations that make us anxious,” she says. “I don’t like being around people, so that’s one thing. In July, I had to go on stage at the ESPYs and I was like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t do this.’ I don’t like being in front of a camera in public, but it’s just a moment of discomfort. I don’t have the level where it overwhelms me.”

Merino silk knitted cardigan with crystal embellishments, lace-up tulle corset with sequin flowers, Simone Rocha; heels, Christian Lobuoutin

In addition to looking after her mental health, she exercises almost daily. “I lift weights and swim in a public Olympic-sized pool near my home, surrounded by pine trees in Florida.” She plays tennis regularly, competing in the US Open just last year. “I still train, not every day like I used to, but I’ll always have to be on the court,” she says. “It’s a great way to stay fit, burn calories and have great legs and arms! If you want to look good, play tennis. It doesn’t feel like work, but it’s exhausting. I’ll do it as long as I have cartilage! If I play, I hope the aging process doesn’t start…!”

These days, she also runs her award-winning interior design firm, V Starr Interiors, which she founded in 2002; Happy Viking, her line of plant-based protein powders; and Palazzo, an AI-powered interior design platform. She also has several film projects in the works, including In the Gardaadaptation of the 2020 book by Jewell Parker Rhodes Black Brother, Black Brotheron which he is working with Serena and Alexandra Milchan, the producer Tar“I love storytelling,” he says. “It’s something new.”

“I’ve never been close to burnout, but I’ve been pushing myself too far. Rest periods are so important”

She discovered her fascination with film while serving as an executive producer on the 2021 biopic. King Richardwhich focuses on her father’s determination to make his daughters tennis stars. He had them training on the tennis court as soon as they could hold a racket, and Venus made her professional debut in 1994, aged just 14. It’s clear her parents had ambitious plans for Venus and Serena (who herself won 23 Grand Slam titles) to succeed in tennis, but she regards her growing up years fondly.

Venus describes her upbringing in Compton, California, as “fantastic,” and says of her parents, “They were the best. They were very protective and made sure we had a childhood—you can’t get that back. So when it got to the extreme and things were happening too fast, we slowed down.”

If she ever hurt herself, she would pretend she didn’t, because she knew her parents would tell her to take a break from tennis. “They’d say, ‘Does your leg hurt?’ I’d say, ‘No! I’m fine.’ And when I was out there (playing), I’d say, ‘OK, my leg hurts!’ They didn’t push us too hard.” The couple also insisted that their daughters continue in school, and Venus has degrees in fashion design and business administration.

Stella McCartney looped knit coat; Jimmy Choo nappa leather heels; Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry

The Williams parents divorced in 2002, and Venus’s oldest sister, Yetunde, was tragically murdered in Compton in 2003, but the family remains very close, and she, Serena and her sisters Isha and Lyndrea see each other often. “There’s no place like home,” Venus says. “We see each other all the time. Distance doesn’t really exist.” As for Serena, although they’ve played professional doubles together and faced each other in singles matches for years, Venus says that when they talk, tennis almost never comes up. “We just gossip. We’ve both been on a really strict diet lately, so we’ve been supporting each other through that.”

She loves spending time with Serena’s daughters, Alexis Olympia, 7, and Adira, 1. “It’s wonderful,” Venus says. “You don’t have to be the one who’s scolding. You can come and play. Although, every time I go there, my oldest wants me to start running. Who would! I’m so tired of running. Can’t we sit down and play with Legos or something?”

She’s not ready to talk about her love life, but in 2022, she said, “I was single for a long time, and I think it’s really easy to get stuck in the single life, and sometimes — at least for me — it’s harder to get out of it.” But of her dog, Harry, a Havanese, she tells me, “We love spending time together. We’re codependent, and that’s great.”

Venus still understands the elite-sport mindset and finds the Olympics almost unbearable. “It’s hard to watch,” she says. “You don’t get many opportunities to be a part of it. You get one moment, maybe two, potentially three… my heart goes out to them.” Although Venus is the most decorated female tennis player in Olympic history, she didn’t miss out on this year. “I’ve played in a lot of them. I don’t feel like I’m missing out by not being there. But the Olympics were something special… Just to be involved in something so much bigger than myself is amazing. All of these moments are part of my journey, and I had a great time. I treasure them all.” And so it should be.

Venus Williams’ “Strive” is out now.