Venus Williams jokes about not having received any prize money in a while
Former World No. 1 Venus Williams recently joked about not receiving any prize money from winning tennis tournaments in a long time.
The 42-year-old began her campaign in the new 2023 season with a win over Katie Volynets at the Auckland Open. However, Williams couldn't keep up the momentum and bowed out of the WTA 250 event soon after.
The American, who captured her last main tour title at the 2016 Taiwan Open, answered some interesting questions from her fans in a recent Q&A. She joked about not winning any prize money when a fan expressed curiosity about how the prize money is deposited in a player's personal account.
"Honestly, I don't know, haven't had any prize money in a while so..." Venus Williams said in her Q&A.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion was set to participate at the 2023 Australian Open but picked up a hamstring injury in Auckland. She faces a long spell on the sidelines while regaining full fitness.
However, Williams has been keeping busy promoting her various businesses and talking about leading a healthy lifestyle on social media. The veteran also shares valuable insights into the sport from time to time.
When asked about the approach a player should have during match point, Williams mentioned that "going for it" is a better option than waiting for the opposing player to make a mistake.
"Always go for it. Now going for it doesn't mean play a short that is ridiculous. You can play smart and go for it. So be smart, don't wait for it to come, take it," Venus Williams said.
Serena Williams, who was sitting next to her sister Venus during the Q&A, also joined the conversation and voiced her opinion on the topic.
"I go for it," Serena Williams said.
"Know about your opponents' weaknesses during the warm-up" - Venus Williams' advice to young players
Venus Williams had some valuable advice for young players on how to stay ahead of opponents during matches. The American stated that a player should look for weaknesses in their opponent's skill set during the pre-match warm-up routine.
"In my opinion, you should know about your opponent's weaknesses during the warm-up," Venus Williams said. "Hit some balls to the forehand, hit some to the backhand, give them a few high balls, see how they handle balls above their shoulder, give them a few slices."
"Put some right in the middle to see if they move their feet and get out of the way, put some volleys at the net," she added. "So during those five minutes, you can make a complete evaluation."
The 42-year-old also revealed what she eats before taking to the court for matches. Having a good balance between protein and carbohydrates is the right way to go about your pre-match rituals, according to the veteran.
"Before my matches, I have rice and beans. Some sort of protein, protein bar. Something just to get the protein down, there's already protein in the beans, so just a carbs and protein combination," Venus Williams said.