Venus Williams’ recent singles win at the D.C. Open showcased her longevity and brought attention to health coverage for aging athletes following a joking comment she made in an on-court interview.

Venus Williams just came back from a 16-month break from professional tennis. But she didn’t return because she missed playing — rather, she missed her health insurance. “I had to come back for the insurance,” Williams, 45, said this week after beating Peyton Stearns — 22 years her junior — at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C.

The comments by the tennis great draw attention to the broader crisis of health care affordability and medical debt.

Venus Williams returned to tennis this week, winning her first tour-level match in two years. She says she returned to the court, in part, to keep her health insurance. “I had to come back for the insurance because they informed me earlier this year that I’m on COBRA!

On July 22, following her first singles match in more than a year, Williams revealed that she is engaged to actor and former model Andre Preti. While speaking to WTA following her DC Open singles match, the tennis star, who sported a diamond ring on her left finger, called Preti her fiancé.

Coco Gauff Has One Word for Venus Williams After Historic Accomplishment at DC Open originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Venus Williams, aged 45, stunned tennis fans on Tuesday at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington by defeating 23‑year‑old Peyton Stearns 6‑3, 6‑4 in the opening round.

Venus Williams’ return to professional tennis will not just be a one-tournament visit: She was awarded a wild-card entry for the Cincinnati Open. The 45-year-old Williams is participating in her first event in more than a year at the DC Open and won first-round matches in both singles and doubles.