Venus Williams became visibly emotional during her post-match media session at the U.S. Open on Monday.
Williams fielded questions from reporters after she was eliminated from this year's final Grand Slam in the first round by 11th-seeded Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic. Williams is a two-time U.S. Open singles champion, but has not competed in a Grand Slam in the past two years as she worked through a series of health setbacks.
Williams, 45, appeared to fight back tears when she began reflecting on the challenges she faced during her road back to the tennis court.
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"Oh, what did I prove to myself? I think, for me, getting back on the court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthy," Williams responded after being asked if she proved anything to herself by making it back to the U.S. Open.
"When you play unhealthy, it's in your mind, it's not just how you feel - you get stuck in your mind, too."
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"So, um, it was nice to be freer," she added.
Williams' voice quivered during her answer as her demeanor became increasingly emotional.
"The lights are very bright out there," Williams said. "I don't think I've ever had a crowd that much on my side. When I lost those first two games, they were just still right there with me every point. Didn't matter if I was losing and it was starting to roll fast, they were just right there with me, and it felt great.
"I knew going into this match that people in this stadium, people in the United States, people around the world were really rooting for me, and that felt great. That felt great to have that kind of support."
After several moments of silence, the moderator announced the press conference had concluded.
Last year, Williams underwent surgery to address uterine fibroids. She also faced a subsequent health battle following a misdiagnosis.
After more than a year away from competition, Williams returned to the court in July. She competed in the Citi Open in Washington, D.C.
Williams became the second-oldest woman on record to win a tour-level singles title. After her victory, Williams quipped she fought to return to professional competition for health insurance coverage.
"I had to come back for the insurance because they informed me earlier this year I'm on COBRA," she said. "So I was like, 'I got to get my benefits on.'"
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