Venus Williams broke down in tears during a press conference on Monday, July 3, when she was asked about the fatal car crash she was involved in.
The tennis superstar, 37, took the podium after beating Elise Mertens 7-6 (7), 6-4 in Wimbledon’s first round, but was repeatedly asked about the incident.
“Completely devastating, speechless. I am just …” she said, getting choked up.
The moderator chimed in: “She can’t say anything more about this, so I would ask you to respect her wishes, please.”
As previously reported, 78-year-old Jerome Barson was taken to the ICU at St. Mary’s Medical Center with head trauma after his and Williams’ vehicles collided in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on June 9. He passed away 14 days later and his wife, Linda Barson, suffered broken bones.
Williams, who is being sued by the estate of the Florida man, broke her silence on the tragedy in a Facebook post on Friday. “I am devastated and heartbroken by this accident,” she wrote. “My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Jerome Barson and I continue to keep them in my thoughts and prayers.”
