Venus Williams: If you want great arms and legs, play tennis

Former world No 1 reveals her struggle to come to terms with a debilitating auto-immune disease

Venus Williams recommends taking up tennis to get “great legs and arms”.
The record-breaking athlete and former world No 1 secured seven Grand Slam singles titles but has been plagued with joint pain and fatigue since she was diagnosed with Sjögren’s Syndrome in 2011.
The 44-year-old said her routine still revolved around being active on the court to stave off the ageing process.
She told Harper’s Bazaar: “It’s a wonderful way to stay fit, burn calories, and have great legs and arms! If you want to look good, play tennis.
“If I keep playing, hopefully, the ageing process won’t start!”
Williams said her fitness routine had been made trickier by Sjögren’s, which took seven years to diagnose.
She said she still plays tennis regularly, does weight sessions in the gym, and swims in an Olympic-sized pool “surrounded by pines” near her home in Florida.
She said: “When you crash, you go so hard that you can’t get up, literally.
“But I still got up, because I had to. Lying in bed is not fun. There is no substitute for being well.”
The American tennis player admitted she struggled to come to terms with the chronic and debilitating nature of the autoimmune disease.
“I wasn’t reaching my full potential and I didn’t know why,” she said, adding: “I’m used to doing whatever I want, working hard and staying fit.
“To realise that it’s not something you can work through, that this is your life now… that was hard. Being mentally strong is so important.”
Despite a career playing in front of thousands of spectators, with millions more watching live at home, Williams also revealed how she struggled with stage fright.
“I don’t like to perform in public in front of a camera,” she said, adding: “I think all of us have situations that make us anxious. I don’t like to be around people.”
She credited sports with overcoming her confidence issues, stress, and the ability to bounce back.
“Stress is a heavy matter, but it’s a moment in time,” she said, adding: “Whatever happens, everything is going to be OK. You don’t want to die with that stuff!”
She added that she hoped to inspire others to improve their health through sport.
She said: “I want to help people have fun being healthy.
“It shouldn’t be hard, or a horrible journey.”
Her new book, Strive, goes on sale on Sept 10.
The October issue of Harper’s Bazaar UK is on sale from Sept 12.