After a 16-month hiatus, Venus Williams made a triumphant return to professional tennis in late July, defeating world No. 35 Peyton Stearns at the Mubadala Citi DC Open on July 22.
The victory was her first tour-level singles win in nearly two years and made the 45-year-old Williams the second-oldest player in history to win a tour-level singles match, trailing only Martina Navratilova, who achieved the feat at Wimbledon in 2004.
Williams was later eliminated in the second round of singles by Magdalena Frech. In doubles, she advanced to the second round with partner Hailey Baptiste.
Williams attributed her return in part to a practical reason: health insurance. “They informed me earlier this year I’m on COBRA,” Williams said in an interview with Rennae Stubbs at the tournament, “I got to get my benefits on. Started training.”
According to a statement from the Women’s Tennis Association, players receive a global medical, dental and vision insurance plan if they meet specific ranking and participation requirements. The coverage runs annually from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. Players are notified at the end of each year about their eligibility for the following year.
COBRA is a federal law that allows individuals to retain their health insurance after leaving a job, though they must pay the full cost themselves. These costs can be significant, especially for plans described as “best-in-class,” which may cost $500 or more per month.
Once the COBRA coverage period ends, individuals lose access to the insurance entirely. This coverage is especially imporant for Williams, who has had recent surgery for uterine fibroids, noncancerous tumors in the uterus. She also has Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks healthy tissue.
“I’m always at the doctor, so I need this insurance,” Williams said. As a professional athlete managing injuries and age-related health concerns, access to reliable insurance remains critical. Williams is scheduled to compete again in August at a tournament in Cincinnati.
