Despite the illnesses, injuries, painful defeats and drop down the rankings, Venus Williams' faith never once waivered. And a few months ago in Dubai, everything came together for her as she cruised to the 45th title of her brilliant career without dropping a set.
Victory ended a 17-month trophyless spell for the American and sent her skyrocketing up the rankings. Dubai was Williams' first Premier title since 2010, but during this barren spell - caused in no small part by her well-publicized battle with Sjögren's syndrome - she never contemplated walking away from the sport that she loves.
"I love tennis. I'm still young. You can't do it forever, so while I can, I'm going to. When I can't, I'm not going to," Williams said. "You know, I'm not doing it because I love to be in the paper. No, I play tennis because I feel like I'm good at it. I know I'm good at it. I have to keep giving myself a chance and just keep going forward.
" This positive mindset is all the more admirable in light of the seven-time Grand Slam champion's recent travails. In 2011, Williams was force to sit out most of the season, laid low by a serious hip injury and then a viral illness - later diagnosed as the autoimmune disease, Sjögren's syndrome. On her return, progress was frustratingly slow, with each tentative step forward followed by a setback of some description.
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