Venus Williams is unarguably one of the most talented tennis players on the planet. So when news that the 31-year-old tennis superstar was withdrawing from the US Open – the most prestigious competition of the year – fans of Williams were shocked.
The reason behind Venus’ pulled out of the competition are actually more serious than many originally believed. The young star suffers from an autoimmune disease called Sjögren’s Syndrome – a disorder that causes joint pain and fatigue.
Williams isn’t alone in her battle against the illness, in fact, over 4 million Americans suffer from the disease and, of that 4 million, 9 out of 10 affected are women.
“I’m really disappointed to have to withdraw from this year’s US Open,” the tennis champ said in a statement, adding that her diagnosis is “an ongoing medical condition.”
And while the disappointment of withdrawing from the competition is overwhelming, Venus is trying to remain optimistic about the situation:
“I enjoyed playing my first match here and I wish I could continue but right now I am unable to,” she said. “I am thankful that I finally have a diagnosis and am now focused on getting better and returning to the court soon.”
Here’s hoping she takes the time to recover before returning to the court!
