Tennis champion Venus Williams has disclosed a decades-long battle with fibroids and adenomyosis that caused debilitating symptoms throughout her career, including extreme pain, vomiting and excessive bleeding.

The 45-year-old athlete revealed her struggle during an NBC News Daily interview on July 3, describing how the conditions left her in agony for nearly 30 years.

"My symptoms were extreme pain. You know, getting so much in pain that maybe you throw up. Or you can't get off the ground," Williams said.

The seven-time Grand Slam winner said she experienced gruelling symptoms from adolescence, recalling being "just hugging the toilet bowl" before her second-round match at the French Open aged 16.

Venus Williams opened up on her struggles with adenomyosis throughout her tennis career

Williams also suffered from adenomyosis, where uterus lining tissue grows into the uterus wall, causing additional pain and irregular bleeding.

Despite having access to elite medical care throughout her career, Williams's symptoms were repeatedly dismissed by doctors who failed to properly diagnose or treat her condition.

"As bad as things were for me, crazy amounts of bleeding like you couldn't imagine my doctors told me it was normal," she said.

When Williams was 37, one doctor told her "this is a part of aging, this is normal," whilst another joked that her symptoms were "natural birth control."

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Multiple doctors suggested hysterectomy as the only treatment option.

Williams recalled: "I've never been so sad in my life. I had never been running to have kids but I always wanted to have a choice and to have that taken away is just frightening."

Doctors monitored her fibroids with ultrasounds but never shared information about their size or growth with Williams.

The 45-year-old described specific incidents where her condition severely impacted her performances, including lying on the locker room floor before the 2016 Wimbledon doubles final.

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She continued: "I was just lying on the floor in the locker room, like, 'It's gonna pass. It's gonna pass.'

"Thank God Serena got the doctor... and I was able to get up and eat and start playing.

"I had those pills with me everywhere. I could never be caught anywhere without my pain pills."

Her periods became so heavy that she packed extra pads, tampons, fresh underwear and spare clothes wherever she went.

The American said she took pills 'everywhere' to help with her condition

She described having to wash her trousers in restaurant bathrooms after accidents.

After years of suffering, Williams discovered proper treatment options through social media in 2024, finding an advertisement that said "you don't have to live like this."

She researched extensively before finding Dr Taraneh Shirazian at NYU Langone Health Center for Fibroid Care, who provided the first comprehensive diagnosis of her condition.

"I was the first person to ever tell her [of the adenomyosis]," Dr Shirazian told SELF magazine.

In July 2024, Williams underwent a successful myomectomy, which removed the fibroids whilst preserving her uterus.

She recovered within days and was fully herself within 30 days.

"I went through a lot, and you would imagine that I would have access to the best health care—and I did. But I still didn't have the best health care [until I went to NYU]," Williams admitted.

The veteran is selective about the tournaments she plays in at the age of 45, though is yet to announce her retirement from the sport.