"I had to come back for the insurance," the five-time Wimbledon champion said after her first match in 16 months. "They informed me this year that I'm on COBRA, so it's like, I got to get my benefits ...

Venus Williams just came back from a 16-month break from professional tennis. But she didn’t return because she missed playing — rather, she missed her health insurance. “I had to come back for the ...

Venus Williams’ recent singles win at the D.C. Open showcased her longevity and brought attention to health coverage for aging athletes following a joking comment she made in an on-court interview.

The comments by the tennis great draw attention to the broader crisis of health care affordability and medical debt.

Venus Williams’ recent singles win at the D.C. Open showcased her longevity and brought attention to health coverage for aging athletes after a joking comment she made in an on-court interview.

Venus Williams returns a shot against Magdalena Frech on day 4 of the Mubadala Citi DC Open. Williams, 45, said she's been on COBRA health insurance.

That's essentially what happened to Williams — she took a break from competition and lost access to her regular benefits. The health insurance Venus Williams got through the Women's Tennis Association ...

The health insurance Venus Williams got through the Women's Tennis Association was a "best-in-class global medical, dental and vision insurance plan," WTA wrote in a statement to NPR.