“I wouldn’t tell you!” Smiling Venus Williams departs US Open, refusing to be drawn on future

She may be 43 years old and playing a reduced schedule, but Venus Williams continues to refuse to discuss her future plans – and certainly won’t even mention the word “retirement”.

After losing 6-1, 6-1 in the first round of the US Open to Greet Minnen, the former world No 1 paid tribute to her opponent, but did admit that her preparation for the tournament had been less than ideal, having missed Tennis in the Land.

“Obviously preparation is always a fantastic thing to have in life, in general, especially as an athlete,” she told a press conference after her heaviest-ever defeat at Flushing Meadows.

“Yeah, I mean, I definitely could have hoped for more throughout the year. Honestly, I just had some really bad luck. I don’t think it was a lack of my body not holding up, it was just a lack of, like, really bad luck with injuries. There were things I couldn’t control.

“I was really happy to be here. When I had to withdraw from Cleveland, I wasn’t sure that I could be here. I have to really thank my doctors for helping me to get here. That in itself was a blessing.

“I love playing here. I really gave it my all today. I really played some great shots, but she had some incredible answers to that. I wish I could have been more prepared for that.”

Venus: It’s too soon to say about the rest of the year

Asked about her schedule for the rest of the year, she said: “I typically haven’t really played after the US Open for a number of years now. I may reconsider that this year because my year didn’t go the way, in any way, shape or form, that I thought it would go. I was really getting good momentum into Wimbledon. That fall really kind of threw me for a loop for the summer.

“I don’t know. I might. But I don’t know what I’ll do this fall. Definitely too soon to say.”

And then when pressed on the factors that would help her decide “what to do next”, Williams replied with a smile: “I wouldn’t tell you, so… I don’t know. I don’t know why you’re asking!”

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