Political India: Engaging America

The heart of a champion is immutable, so the saying goes, and in the world of tennis that is sometimes tested more off-court than on it. Venus Williams, formerly ranked No.1 in the world, winner of no fewer than 21 Grand Slams and a breathtaking 43 career singles titles, has proved just that over the recent months, and she's come out on top.

While Venus launched her usual, high-powered blistering attack on her opponent the first round of last August's U.S. Open, a silent shadow loomed behind her. She was struggling. She'd been off-court for two months, battling what seemed to be a one-off viral illness. But the worst news was yet to come.

After dispatching Vesna Dolonts in a 6-4, 6-3 victory, Venus stunned the world when she announced that she would withdraw from the tournament as she'd been diagnosed with a rare, autoimmune disease called Sjögren's syndrome. As with most autoimmune illnesses, Sjögren's causes the body to attack itself and is linked to the onset of rheumatoid arthritis.

In February, her sister and former world champion Serena had suffered an almost-fatal pulmonary embolism and now Venus was shaken by news of her own potentially career-destroying condition. In a rare interview with People magazine she said, “I would go to the doctor and start crying; I couldn't help it.”

Yet, like in many of her scrappy matches when she was down a set — rare as that was — she pulled herself together and saw the positive side, adding that the diagnosis was a relief too, because, “I wasn't crazy and I wasn't lazy.” From that point on she took charge of her recovery. She has taken up a serious course of holistic alternatives such as yoga and massage, to complement her conventional treatment.

It seems to be working, and as her energy has returned, she has been careful with it and pursued other interests too, including working towards a business degree, running a clothing line and an interior design business, and serving as Ambassador for the U.S. Tennis Association's Junior Tennis Learning programme.

While she admitted she was taking it slow, she entertains no thoughts of quitting. She said that a return to competitive tennis could actually be relaxing. “It's eat, sleep, practise, rest... I get more rest at a tournament than I do at home,” she says with a grin. Spoken like a champ.