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Tennis player Venus Williams opened up about her health condition in a recent interview with Today on July 3, 2025. The athlete had a difficult journey with fibroids, a condition that causes growth in the uterus.
When host Zinhle Essamuah asked her about the symptoms, Williams said she suffered from extreme pain that almost made her throw up. Due to that, she missed a lot of her tennis practices. There were times when she would hug the toilet and wait for the pain to pass.
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Williams said that despite having the fibroids condition, doctors overlooked the symptoms. In her words:
“One doctor told me, that time I was maybe like 37. He said, ‘This is a part of aging. This is normal.’”
She was even recommended to get a hysterectomy. According to her, despite not having the intense desire to have kids, she wanted to at least have the choice, and as such, it became a frightening situation for her. Meanwhile, healthcare professional Dr. Taraneh Shirazian said:
“I think Venus’s story is actually unfortunately a very common story. Women do not get the care that they need for fibroid disease.”
When Venus Williams was preparing for Wimbledon, her condition became worse. She revealed that:
“We had a doubles final to play next, and I was just lying on the floor in the locker room, like, ‘It’s gonna pass. It’s gonna pass.’ Thank God Serena got the doctor, and I was able to get up and eat and start playing, bad luck for the opponents.”
According to Venus Williams, one has to stand up for their own health
Dr. Shirazian helped Venus Williams get a myomectomy, the surgical procedure to remove the fibroids. A year after getting the procedure, the player said the quality of her life has improved. She said:
“I have been taking this time to rest and recover and be happy person without fibroids.”
Reflecting on the condition, she said fibroids did not let her body have the energy to practice. When Essamuah asked why she thought it took so long for the right care, Williams said the general perception has been that no one thinks this was an issue. She said:
“You can be denied the best healthcare, no matter who you are. You have to be your own advocate.”
Venus Williams said she wanted to speak up because she felt angry that she didn’t know what was happening to her. She also said no one should have to go through such a hard experience without answers.
When she talked about the NYU Langone Health Center for Fibroid Care, Williams said it seemed like a great place with real doctors who offered various kinds of treatments, including helping with food, fertility, and medical procedures.
According to People Magazine, Essamuah explained that many women are often only given the choice of surgery to remove their uterus, even though there are many other options. She hoped that by sharing stories from famous athletes, more doctors and patients would learn about the different treatments available.
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