Venus Williams encountered an unexpected off-court hurdle on her journey to Montreal; her luggage took a tropical detour.
It’s not every day that a tennis icon like Venus Williams finds herself without her trusted gear, especially before a significant such as the 2023 Canadian Open in Montreal, which is a WTA 1000 tournament that the American is able to play thanks to being injury-free.
Yet, that's exactly the scenario that the former World No. 1 found herself in. Venus was caught amidst an airline baggage fiasco, with her bags mistakenly sent to the Bahamas instead of her actual destination, Montreal by American Airlines.
While the balmy beaches and blue waters of the Bahamas sound enticing to most of us, for a professional athlete in the middle of a tournament schedule, this mix-up was far from a vacation as Williams tried to solve the situation through social media, after previously spending hours on the phone.
"Dear @americanair, I love flying with you all. I'm even in the million mile club! I'm not sure why you sent my bag to the Bahamas when I was traveling to Montreal. Now I have a match today. I've been trying to get my bags for 3 days now. I think I spent all my unlimited minutes calling you all, which has become my full-time job day and night. This has been so much fun!"
Airline baggage mishaps are not uncommon, but when they happen to athletes, the stakes are often higher. Especially in the world of professional sports, where gear is carefully selected, personalized, and broken in to meet the exact preferences of the player. For Venus, not having her custom-made rackets, shoes, or athletic wear could pose a significant disadvantage.
After solving the problem with her bags, Williams will need to focus on her first-round match at the 2023 Canadian Open against Madison Keys. Especially during the grass-court season, the younger American showed that she can win, and the seven-time Grand Slam champion will surely face a real challenge against the compatriot.
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