Venus Williams Shares What She's Learned About Living With A Chronic Illness & More

We love celebrating women at the top of their game. In our Game On series, we're interviewing top athletes about their well-being routines—covering everything from nutrition that makes them feel strong to the moments that bring them joy. P.S.: Read more in our digital issue of Game On.

It will come as no surprise to you that tennis legend Venus Williams takes care of herself. In a recent conversation with her, I asked all about her well-being tips and health journey, and it’s clear she treats her body with a tremendous amount of respect. 

This, of course, has led to one of the most storied tennis careers in history. 

After going pro at 14, she won her first US Open at only 17. At 20, she won her first Grand Slam. Only two years later, she became the first African American woman to rank No. 1 in the Open era. In total, she’s won four Olympic Gold Medals (she’s the most decorated tennis player in Olympic history), seven singles major titles, and 14 women's doubles major titles, all partnering with her sister Serena (fun fact: they’re unbeaten in major doubles finals). 

Outside of tennis, she’s launched an athletic apparel brand, executive produced an Oscar-winning film about her father (2021’s King Richard), and has done extensive philanthropic work. 

Williams: Definitely not waking up early—my least favorite.

But eating healthy is the most important for me, especially since I live with a chronic illness. [Williams recently opened up about being diagnosed with fibroids.] So what I eat really makes a difference in how I feel. 

Moving my body, too. Even though I'm a professional athlete, there are moments when I'm not moving enough, and you just feel... ugh…

Williams: Definitely dance. I'm a dancer in my heart—but in real life I'm not very good. I started dancing as an adult in my late thirties. I started going to ballet, jazz, and hip hop classes.

Williams: I mean, the whole time we're laughing because at the end of class, they put you in groups and everyone runs through the routine you learned that day. We're just laughing at ourselves so hard because we know we're pretty weak. But it's just about the effort, right? 

Williams: I have a bunch of toys. I love my bands, little things like slide discs, and the ankle strap weights—I like to have my own so I don’t have to rely on the gym to have it. You can do a lot with those kinds of things. Little things make a big difference. 

Always a change of clothes. And definitely headphones, because sometimes I have to do conference calls while I’m in the gym.

And then of course, snacks. Blue Diamond Almonds. My favorite go-to is the Toasted Almond & Cherries, because I like to have that sweetness as well. 

Williams: I've been eating Blue Diamond Almonds my whole life. I feel like everyone has.

So it felt so natural because of that. And it also just aligns with my lifestyle and values. I live to eat clean, nutritious food—but also food that tastes good, that you can eat anytime, and on the go. What really drew me to this partnership was Blue Diamond’s commitment to healthy living and their approach to snacking.

Williams:I always believe in the power of visualization. For anything that’s big or that you care about, you should visualize yourself in that moment. Of course, there’s so much other preparation and training, but it’s also about getting your mind in that place too. 

Williams: I shared that because of my shock at what I went through. I'm a person who stays on top of their health, and the fact that I didn’t know enough—I wanted to share to make sure other women didn’t have to go through that experience.

Being able to open up and talk about that—and hopefully put it on the radar—this is a life goal for me: to make sure other women and girls understand you can advocate for yourself.

For example, I went to the doctor and they said, “Oh, well, just watch it.” At that time, perhaps I should have done more research on fibroids and asked more questions. But I didn’t know that I should even do that. I was just like, “Oh, well, watch it.” It was just very casual.

Williams: We’re about to go to D.C.—me and the team—and the first thing we’re doing is escape rooms. We haven’t had time to do any rooms, and it’s like nothing else matters except doing this room.

You just kind of immerse yourself—it’s a full 3D puzzle. So you don’t think about anything else. You can’t, because you’re against the clock. It’s just a fun way to check out, turn off, escape, and go to another world if you want to.

Williams: I'm very logical.

So emotions don't get in the way for me or factor in. For me, it's really about the facts in how you make that next decision in life. I think that’s one of my biggest strengths—not being led by emotion.

Williams: Sports is definitely a tool for life.

And it doesn't matter what level you play at. It doesn’t matter if you go pro, play in college, or play recreationally. What you learn from pushing yourself—from having to master something new, to dealing with the frustration of it all and still getting through it—those are things that translate directly to life, directly to work, directly to everything.

So the level doesn't matter. What matters is the pursuit of excellence, no matter how good or talented—or not—you are.