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Venus Williams<\/a>, 45, hadn’t played professional tennis in a year and a half. But she played in the Mubadala Citi DC Open<\/a> in Washington, D.C. this week, and for a surprising reason.<\/p>\n “I had to come back for the insurance,” Williams said after winning the first round. (She lost in the second round on Thursday.)<\/p>\n Related:<\/b> Serena Williams Launches a New Company That She’s Been Working on for 6 Years<\/a><\/p>\n “They informed me this year that I’m on COBRA, so it’s like, I got to get my benefits on,” Williams added.<\/p>\n The crowd laughed, but Williams<\/a> appeared to be serious.<\/p>\n Venus Williams after becoming the oldest WTA match winner since 2004:<\/p>\n “I had to come back for the insurance, because they informed me this year that I’m on cobra. So it’s like, I got to get my benefits on” ????<\/p>\n pic.twitter.com\/Npu7d6c5Wt<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 23, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n “I’m always at the doctor, so I need this insurance,” she said.<\/p>\n Williams has been open<\/a> about her struggle with uterine fibroids, telling NBC News Now<\/a> earlier this month that the condition has affected her for 30 years.<\/p>\n MarketWatch reports<\/a> that Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) players are offered insurance plans that provide global coverage for the tour’s extensive travel requirements, but athletes need to meet certain requirements to qualify.<\/p>\n “Player members that are eligible for such access to health insurance must be inside the rankings of 500 in singles or 175 in doubles and have played a minimum of three WTA 250-level and above events, including Grand Slams, in the last year,” a WTA spokesperson told MarketWatch.<\/p>\n Related:<\/b> Alexis Ohanian Says This Is His Best Investment So Far: $10,000 Turned Into More Than $17 Million<\/a><\/p>\n This means we could see Williams on the professional court again soon. It’s also raised many questions and comments, especially on Reddit<\/a>, which was co-founded by Venus’s brother-in-law, Alexis Ohanian, about the price of health care in the U.S.<\/p>\n According to ESPN<\/a>, Williams made more than $42 million playing professional tennis, during which she won 49 singles titles, including five Wimbledon<\/a> and two U.S. Open Championships. Williams also won four Olympic gold medals.<\/p>\n Join top CEOs, founders and operators at the<\/i> <\/i>Level Up conference<\/i><\/a> to unlock strategies for scaling your business, boosting revenue and building sustainable success.<\/i><\/sup><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n