Venus Williams, 45, hadn’t performed skilled tennis in a yr and a half. However she performed within the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C. this week, and for a shocking motive.
“I needed to come again for the insurance coverage,” Williams mentioned after profitable the primary spherical. (She misplaced within the second spherical on Thursday.)
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“They knowledgeable me this yr that I am on COBRA, so it is like, I acquired to get my advantages on,” Williams added.
The gang laughed, however Williams gave the impression to be severe.
Venus Williams after turning into the oldest WTA match winner since 2004:
“I needed to come again for the insurance coverage, as a result of they knowledgeable me this yr that I am on cobra. So it is like, I acquired to get my advantages on” ????
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 23, 2025
“I am all the time on the physician, so I would like this insurance coverage,” she mentioned.
Williams has been open about her battle with uterine fibroids, telling NBC Information Now earlier this month that the situation has affected her for 30 years.
MarketWatch studies that Ladies’s Tennis Affiliation (WTA) gamers are provided insurance policy that present world protection for the tour’s in depth journey necessities, however athletes want to fulfill sure necessities to qualify.
“Participant members which can be eligible for such entry to medical health insurance have to be contained in the rankings of 500 in singles or 175 in doubles and have performed a minimal of three WTA 250-level and above occasions, together with Grand Slams, within the final yr,” a WTA spokesperson instructed MarketWatch.
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This implies we may see Williams on the skilled courtroom once more quickly. It is also raised many questions and feedback, particularly on Reddit, which was co-founded by Venus’s brother-in-law, Alexis Ohanian, concerning the value of well being care within the U.S.
Based on ESPN, Williams made greater than $42 million taking part in skilled tennis, throughout which she received 49 singles titles, together with 5 Wimbledon and two U.S. Open Championships. Williams additionally received 4 Olympic gold medals.
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