Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams has shared footage of a practice session in which she declares that she’s working on her on-court aggression. The 45-year-old hasn’t played professionally since March 2024, when she lost early in Miami and Indian Wells and her tennis career appeared to be over.
The elder of the Williams sisters was always reliant on her aggressive approach to tennis in her heyday. She once told Stuff magazine in 2014 that she couldn’t imagine playing the game any other way.
“If I stop being aggressive and start playing her game, that’s when I’m really in trouble”, she said.
A Venus Williams fan account on X named Inspirational posted footage of Williams back in intensive training, speaking about her practice schedule and approach to the game. Inspirational captioned the footage:
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"Venus is back practicing!"
Williams stopped hitting balls to talk to the camera and reveal how she carves up her practice sessions.
"60% of the practice, just hitting forehands, backhands, so, I'm like flipping that, and I'm spending 20% of the practice on ground strokes, and then 67% spent on returns and volleys and approach shots, and then 10% on serves, then I guess that just leaves, that's 97? But the majority of it is just working on being aggressive," she said.
Venus then gave a valuable insight into the mental side of her game and how being aggressive on court puts pressure on her opponent. It's an approach that brought her 49 WTA titles over a 30-year tennis career.
"Hey, it's short, I'm coming in! I think it's a lot of pressure for the opponent, and there are some players who will come to the net because they can't survive on the baseline, becuase they are so bad at the baseline, but then to actually come to the net and do something, that's scary. I'm working on just like sheer aggression, because in my heart that's who I am," she added.
Venus Williams also pocketed 14 doubles Grand Slams and three Olympic gold medals in doubles, all with Serena Williams as her partner. She won a singles Olympic gold medal in Sydney in 2000.
Venus Williams suggests her tennis career may not be over even at 45
Venus Williams has parlayed her tennis superstardom into a successful business and modelling career. Like her sister Serena, she is in huge demand as a brand ambassador and commercial partner. Despite that, in April this year, the 45-year-old American told E! Online that she has not ruled out a return to competitive tennis:
"I loved this part of my life. People look at me like, ‘Are you playing? I’m like, ‘No, I’m not.’ ... As an athlete and a player, there's a whole plan, ‘I'm gonna play this tournament and play these tournaments so I'd be ready for that tournament. Now it's like, ‘Oh, I love playing. I'm gonna play every day.’ And if I feel ready to play, then I'll play."
Venus Williams looks ready to play in her practice session footage. Even at 45, she appears to have the skills and technique to succeed, and also retains the strong mental edge that made her so successful in the 2000s and 2010s.
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