Venus Williams: I’ll do TV commentating only if I run out of money

Venus Williams faces Alize Cornet in the second round and possibly Maria Sharapova in the third. (Rob Griffith/AP)

If Venus Williams has her way, you won’t be seeing her in the commentary booth in retirement. At least, she hopes not.

Speaking after her 6-1, 6-0 first-round win over Galina Voskoboeva, Williams, 32, reflected on what post-tennis life would be like.

“When you’re a young person, you just don’t think it’s ever going to end and you’re on top of the world,” she said. “I realize one day it will end. … When it’s over, I will be out and hopefully, like I said, I won’t run out of money and have to commentate. But if I do, I will be commentating,” she said with a laugh.

Williams added: “But I’d like to move on from tennis. I love designing. I put my foot in that door already, and probably helping players on the side.”

Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam winner in her 19th pro year, says she’s playing purely for the love of the game. Incidentally, that includes a commitment to Fed Cup. She confirmed she’s made herself available to play in the U.S. tie against Italy in February.

“I have done a lot of things, and I don’t really have anything to prove except for I have my desire to play and to play well,” she said. “That really is what it’s about at this point, is getting the best out of me.”