Health Crisis Left Venus Williams ‘Laying on the Locker Room Floor’

Venus Williams has always been a powerhouse on the tennis court, but behind the scenes, she’s been quietly fighting a different kind of battle—one that nearly kept her from competing at the highest level. In a recent interview with NBC News’ Zinhle Essamuah, the 45-year-old tennis legend opened up about her years-long struggle with uterine fibroids, a condition that affects up to 80% of women but is often dismissed or misdiagnosed.

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Williams revealed that the pain from fibroids was so severe that she would vomit, miss practices, and in one instance, lie curled up on the locker room floor just before a Wimbledon doubles match in 2016. “I was just laying on the floor in the locker room. Like, it’s gonna pass, it’s gonna pass,” she recalled. “And thank God Serena got the doctor. I was able to get up and eat and start playing — bad luck for our opponents.”

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Fibroids, which are benign growths in the uterus, can cause extreme pelvic pain, heavy bleeding, and bladder pressure. Despite these symptoms, Williams’ pain was brushed off for years. “One doctor told me, ‘This is part of aging.’ Another told me to get a hysterectomy,” she said. “I’ve never been so sad in my life. I always wanted to have the choice to have children, and to have that taken away is just frightening.”

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Initially, Williams thought her symptoms were tied to her autoimmune disease, Sjögren’s syndrome, which she publicly disclosed in 2011. But the real culprit was much different. After years of searching, she found Dr. Tara Shirazian at NYU Langone Health’s Center for Fibroid Care, who performed a myomectomy—a surgery that removes fibroids but preserves the uterus.

Now, with her health on the mend, Williams is determined to use her platform to help other women speak up and get the care they deserve. “You can be denied the best health care no matter who you are,” she said. “You have to be your own advocate. Hopefully someone will see this and say, ‘I can get help. I don’t have to live this way.’”

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Essamuah, who has shared her own fibroid story, echoed that sentiment. “We’re often told to be polite and not make waves. But when it comes to your body, you know what’s normal. It’s okay to push for answers.”

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Fibroid Awareness Month serves as a powerful reminder that many women still face limited treatment options and dismissive care. Williams and Essamuah hope that by sharing these stories—especially from someone as high-profile as Venus—more women will be empowered to seek proper care, and more doctors will begin listening.

As for a return to tennis, Williams isn’t ruling it out. “I’m not playing badly, so you never know,” she said with a smile. “But for now, I’m just happy—living without fibroids.”

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