Venus Williams still has a couple more years left on the tour before retiring, according to Martina Navratilova.
37-year-old Williams is currently ranked eighth in the world and is the oldest player in the top 100. Despite her age, the American continues to defy the odds against her. Last year she reached the final of both the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Then at the end of the season she finished runner-up to Caroline Wozniacki at the WTA Finals in Singapore.
Heading into the clay season, Williams has won nine out of 13 matches played so far this season. Reaching the semifinals in Indian Wells and the Quarterfinals at the Miami Open. The surge has impressed 18-time grand slam champion Navratilova, who believes the American will be one of the front-runners to win the Wimbledon title later this year. Ten years after she last claimed the trophy.
“Her body’s holding up, and the willingness and the hunger are still there, along with the focus and the sense of urgency. Tennis is such an urgent sport – when you’re on court, you have to be alert and you have to really want it. And Venus clearly still wants it.” Navratilova wrote in her column for wtatennis.com. “It seems to me that her future in tennis is more a matter of the head controlling the body rather than the other way around.”
It remains to be seen how much longer Williams will continue playing. She has already played in 77 grand slam main draws since making her debut at the 1997 French Open. She has also featured in 83 WTA finals, winning trophies in 49 of them.
Navratilova, who continued to play doubles matches on the tour until the age of 49, believes Williams also has the ability to play into her 40s. According to the WTA, Williams is currently the fourth oldest player in the singles rankings system. The oldest is world No.149 Patty Snyder, who will return to Fed Cup duties this weekend.
“I can see Venus Williams playing until she’s 40.” Navratilova states. “She turns 38 in June but, if you look at how she’s been playing and also where she is in the rankings, still inside the Top 10, she hardly seems to have aged at all. She’s found a way of staying fresh and healthy, and avoiding burnout.”
Williams is not due to return to the tour until the Madrid Open next month.
