Venus Williams lost in the opening round at Wimbledon on Monday for the first time since 1997, falling to 79th-ranked Elena Vesnina in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3.
Williams managed just one break in the match, which lasted little more than an hour. Vesnina broke Williams five times on the grass courts at Wimbledon, a tournament Williams has won five times.
The older of the Williams sisters was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder last summer and took some time away from tennis. She could not possibly be thrilled with her results on Monday, but doesn't seem like she will consider retirement in the near future.
Via the New York Times:
Pressed to say whether she planned to continue playing competitively after the Olympic Games next month, Venus Williams said: "I feel like I am a great player. I am a great player. Unfortunately, I had to deal with circumstances that people don't normally have to deal with in this sport.
"But I can't be discouraged by that, so I'm up for challenges. I have great tennis in me. I just need the opportunity. There's no way I'm just going to sit down and give up just because I have a hard time the first five or six freakin' tournaments back. You know, that's just not me."
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