She says that her ‘unbelievable journey’ isn’t over

Isha (sister) – I could never have done it without you. When you were with me in the hospital ... thank you so much.

“I almost didn’t make it a few years ago when I was in hospital, but now I am here again and so happy. It makes it sweeter. I never dreamed of being here again.”

At the press conference that she held while she waited to go back on court with Venus Williams for the women’s double’s final, she finally spoke at length about her misery.

“There was a moment, I just remember I was on the couch and I didn’t leave it the whole day, actually for two days,” she recalled.

“I didn’t say that on the court, it would have been too much. But I was just over with it all. I was praying, ‘I can’t take any more. I’ve endured enough. Let me be able to get through this.’

“I was just so tired at that point. I had a tube in my stomach and it was draining constantly.

“Right before that I had the blood clot. I had lung problems. Then I had two foot surgeries. It was a lot.

“I felt like I didn’t do anything to bring on that. I just felt down, the lowest of lows.

“I remember Esther came up to me and said God never gives you more than you can handle. That really helped me, or else I would still be there. It’s been an unbelievable journey for me.”

Again, she acknowledged the help she had received to make it and outlined the sacrifices those around her had made to help her get back, first to health and then to winning tennis.

“From the day I got to the hospital until the day I left, they never left the room,” she said. “They slept there, all of them. They didn’t owe me that.

“Even though I was trying to keep the spirits up – everyone was making jokes – it’s hard to find people in your life that sleep there on a chair every night you’re there.

“I’d rather not have endured them, but those are memories that tell you it’s unbelievable to have those people by your side.”

What is more, Williams is adamant that her “unbelievable journey” is far from at an end.

“What more do I want from life?” she smiled. “Are you kidding? The US Open, the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon 2013, The Championships.

“It’s the beginning of a great phase. I certainly hope it is.”