‘You Aren’t Able to Be Happy’- Venus Williams Discloses the Real Reason Behind Investing in $3 Million Mental Health Startup

Venus Williams has cemented her place in tennis history with a string of memorable performances over the years. She is a former WTA World No. 1 with seven Grand Slam wins. Unfortunately, the player’s rise was hampered by injuries, especially towards the end of her career.

In 2011, the 42-year-old was also diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease. In a recent interview, Venus spoke about the importance of mental health and the reasons for her investment in a mental health startup.

Venus Williams on Mental Health and Happiness

After Serena Williams announced her retirement, Venus spoke exclusively to E! Update on their unbreakable friendship, mental health and the reason behind their multi-million dollar investment in a mental health startup.

“It’s not something that happens by accident. You have to be conscious about it and you also have to be someone that people like to be with. I think that helps a lot.” said Venus.

She further said: “Everyone should definitely make mental health a priority. If your sanity is not up to the task of living your dreams and just living a normal life, then you cannot be happy. Being happy is one of the most underrated feelings.“

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She also mentioned her sister serena and like the kind of bond they share with each other. Venus and Serena Williams have had a great bond since childhood. After training together, they made their professional debuts just a year apart. Over the course of several years, the two have built separate but parallel careers in the professional field.

Cooperation between Venus and the start-up platform

Venus Williams has been working with BetterHelp, a mental health startup, as part of their ongoing partnership since 2021. In addition, the 42-year-old is not the sole shareholder in the company. Other professional tennis players like Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz are also part of this great platform.

A week ago, the tennis great expressed her support for the initiative and said: “No one is immune from mental health problems, regardless of our experience or how it appears to us on the outside.“

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She went on to stress the importance of having the mental toughness to show up and perform work, saying that tennis is much more than just a physical skill.