Expressing her aspirations in a recent video shared on her YouTube channel, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion highlighted her desire to participate in the WTA 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami, considering them "big goals."
"One of my big goals is to play in the United States, to participate in the Miami Open and at Indian Wells," Williams stated. "I haven't played there since 2019 due to injuries. It's been a long time... Many years not competing at home. So, of course, that's one of my big goals on the horizon, to be there, to prepare for that. Amongst many goals on the court, too."
Reflecting on Serena's influence, Venus revealed, "My little sister, Serena, told me I'm not allowed to quit, and of course, I would never quit. But it's the mandate. She said no, so I will be back on the court," as quoted by the WTA website.
In the video, the 43-year-old Williams opened up about the challenges she has faced with injuries over the past year, discussing the knee injury she sustained at Wimbledon last summer in detail for the first time.
"I don't talk much about my injuries because I hate complaining," she shared, referring to the cartilage damage as one of the "craziest" injuries she's tried to play through in her lengthy career.
Following her early exit at Wimbledon, Williams struggled with swelling and pain, affecting her training and mobility ahead of events in Montreal, Cincinnati, and the US Open. Despite these setbacks, she secured a significant victory over Veronika Kudermetova in Cincinnati, her first Top 10 win in four years.
However, the swelling in her knee worsened after the tournament, leading to her withdrawal from the WTA 250 event in Cleveland, where she had intended to play as a wild-card entry.
"I felt terrible about that because when I give my word, I keep it. When I said I was going to Cleveland, I meant it, and the fact I had to withdraw, I felt miserable because that's not me. I do what I say I'm going to do."
In an attempt to compete in the US Open, Williams disclosed that she had a cortisone injection for the first time in her three-decade career, but it provided little relief. Her season concluded with a 6-1, 6-1 loss to Belgian qualifier Greet Minnen in the first round, marking her heaviest defeat at her home Grand Slam event.