Venus Williams Talks Tennis Style, Self-Confidence and What to Expect From Her New Book (EXCLUSIVE)

Venus Williams has long been known as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Ever since she went pro as a teenager 30 years ago, she’s wowed sports fans around the world with her enduring power and strength. 

Now 44, Williams remains a source of inspiration, and her latest project, the book Strive: 8 Steps to Find Your Awesome, coming out on September 10, promises to help readers learn from the tennis star.

The athlete has also just partnered with Downy to promote their Rinse & Refresh line, which fights odor with every wash. Venus Williams spoke to FIRST for Women about the surprising importance of laundry in her routine, what to expect from her new book and more.

FIRST for Women: Given your partnership with Downy, how do you feel laundry and sports are related?

Venus Williams: I sweat all the time, so I've always got to wash my clothes. It's been fun to tell this story about performance and the things that you do behind the scenes, because tennis players are known for their outfits and it's always all pristine and precise.

I’ve spent a lot of time on my clothes and making sure that they're perfect and that they look great when I walk on the court. If you don't look great, you’re probably not going to play well. That's been my experience, so I've always made sure I looked great.  

FFW: Having been an athlete for so long, how do you feel your approach to fitness has changed over the years?

VW: I'm a huge proponent of figuring out better ways to train, and I love staying on top of what's happening in health and wellness. As an athlete, it gets really, really, really specific, especially these days — like, people train their eyes. They’ll literally do eye exercises, moving their eyes back and forth. People really get down to the nitty-gritty.

I'm more of a person who thinks that if my serve’s big, I don't need to worry about my eyes as much. But it’s important to pay attention to the trends and to figure out what's happening. People are training so differently. Back in the day, they would say not to bend your knees past your toes, and now in the last few years, everyone's bending with all kinds of ranges past your toes. 

FFW: Given the fact that you’ve inspired so many people, where do you find your own inspiration?

VW: I get a lot of inspiration from art and artists, and from sports, obviously. With all of us watching the Olympics, I don't know anyone who wasn't inspired. I feel like I'm still on an Olympic high. You just want to work harder and be better and do more after that.

FFW: What are some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned during your career?

VW: You're never done learning. Each time you think you've got it right there's another lesson to learn, so I’m open to that. I think the other lesson is just self-confidence, and that is a journey and it’s not going to always be perfect, but it's something worth working on. It's something I work on all the time on the court. There are ups and downs. There are moments where you get injured and you're building your confidence back up, and days where you don't feel great. But  it’s important to realize that even though I may not feel great right now, I can project this confidence and I will feel it.

FFW: How do you like to unwind after a stressful day?

VW: Watching romantic comedies. I feel like I've watched all of them, so I need movie suggestions. They just make me happy. I love Valentine's Day; Eat, Pray, Love; Under the Tuscan Sun and Love Actually.  

I also love spending time with my family and my dog. I travel with him and he's my instant stress relief. He's like my little stuffed animal puppy. He's so fun. Well, he yells at me a little bit if I don't feed him fast enough, but he's so cute. 

FFW: What can readers expect from your new book?

VW: It's about helping others live their best lives and live well. Being well is living your best life. As an athlete, I know the importance of that discipline and perseverance and how that helps, but also, more importantly, it's about having fun. Being disciplined doesn't mean you can't be happy and enjoy yourself. 

My goal with this book is to help others to get healthy and to be happy, and to find a place where people have the strength and the habit of making healthy choices to take care of themselves. It's about healthy choices in how you eat, your relationships, how you think, all of those different things — those simple steps that you can practice each day until they just become second nature. 

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