How Venus Williams Reclaimed Her Peak Wellbeing Through Mental Strength
Venus Williams isn’t letting Sjogren’s syndrome slow her down.
In a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the tennis star opened up about navigating the autoimmune disease that attacks moisture-producing glands in the body and shared how she journeyed back to peak health.
“I hadn’t felt myself for a while, but at the same time, it was hard to accept. I’m used to doing whatever I want, working hard, and staying fit,” she told the outlet about dealing with her diagnosis.
“To realize that it’s not something you can work through, that this is your life now... that was hard.”
However, the veteran athlete revealed she tapped into the mental toughness she’d built from years of competitive tennis to keep pushing forward.
“Being mentally strong is so important,” she shared. “It’s not just about sports—it’s life. You’ve got to make it on your own; no one else is going to do it for you.”
The seven-time Grand Slam winner disclosed in 2011 that she was diagnosed with the disease, which ultimately forced her to withdraw from that year’s US Open.
