While every player feels they could ride off into the sunshine to the applause of the crowd, it does not always turn out that way, but one could argue that Venus Williams, of all people, has done enough on and off the court to justify such a sendoff. With one shy of fifty Tour-level titles, including seven Majors, the former World No. 1 is still on the Tour, but the American legend has faced intense scrutiny over her recent results, a response to which she has addressed after her loss at the Guangzhou Open.

“Well, obviously, 0-16 isn’t ideal,” said Williams in her post-match press conference when asked about her motivations for playing on. “I’m a competitor. I’ve been a competitor my entire life, and nobody likes losing, certainly not me. But I think sometimes people look at results and forget that there’s a much bigger picture. For years, I was dealing with health issues, including Sjögren’s syndrome and fibroids, and there were long periods when I couldn’t play tennis on my own terms. My body was making decisions for me. Illness was dictating what I could do, when I could train, when I could compete, and sometimes whether I could even get out on the court. So now, to be in a position where I can play relatively pain-free, where I can travel, practise, compete and enjoy being out there, that’s something I don’t take for granted. Maybe other people don’t understand that, but I do…I think I’ve earned the right to decide how it ends.”

The last time Williams won a match was against Peyton Stearns at the Citi Open in Washington last year. That was the first match she was playing in well over a year, and it showed she was still competitive at the highest level. However, since then, the former World No. 1 has lost 16 matches in a row, including 13 this year, the last being a 6-2, 6-2 loss to Lilli Tagger in Guangzhou.

The scrutiny around her results has been exacerbated due to her receiving wildcards as well. Critics have often pointed out that handing out a wildcard solely because of name recognition deprives a promising young player of an opportunity to gain exposure by playing in a Tour-level event. On the other hand, Williams is still one of the biggest draws in the sport, as she fills most arenas where she plays, and, understandably, the organizers have no issue handing her a wildcard, given the commercial benefits it brings.

Her foot speed might not be what it used to be, and maybe the power behind her shots no longer has the sting, but as Williams pointed out, she was in fine physical condition. Having gone through multiple injuries in her career and battled a physically draining ailment like Sjögren’s syndrome, Williams has faced quite a few roadblocks over the last three decades. The American had to take a long break from the sport in 2011, which was a real shame, given that she was getting back to her old form in 2010, reaching No. 2 in singles and No. 1 in doubles.

Williams doubled down on her wish to keep playing, even though the American has not won a Tour-level title in a decade.

Venus Williams Has No Set Retirement Date Even After Not Winning a Title for a Decade

The last time Williams won a Tour-level title was back in 2016, when she won the Taiwan Open. She did have a resurgent season in 2017, reaching three finals that year, including the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the WTA Finals, which was her last Tour-level final. However, her recent results are not enough to keep Williams down, who made her intentions to keep playing quite clear.

“Will I still be playing in six months? A year? Two years? Who knows?,” said Williams in her press conference. “I certainly don’t have a date circled on the calendar. But right now, I’m happy. I’m enjoying being on the court, I’m enjoying the work with my team, and physically I’m in a place where I can do that. So while I feel this way, I’ll continue.”

Even during her sixteen-match losing streak since last year, there have been instances where Williams has been competitive. She played four three-set matches this year, where she went toe-to-toe with younger opponents, even leading someone like Olga Danilovic in the third set at the Australian Open, but could not close out the match. However, the brutal truth is Williams has an 8-46 win-loss record since 2020 and will have to keep relying on wildcards if she wishes to keep playing.