Following a 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 victory over Belgian Elise Mertens, tennis champion Venus Williams has broken down in tears at a press conference after being questioned about the car crash she was reportedly at fault in which claimed the life of a passenger in the other car.
Read more: Venus Williams involved in fatal car crash
“Yeah, life, you can’t prepare for everything. I prepared for a lot of matches, tried to get ready for whatever my opponent will throw at you, but you can’t prepare for everything,” she said.
“I have no idea what tomorrow will bring. That’s all I can say about it. That’s what I’ve learned.
“There are really no words to describe, like, how devastating … yeah. I’m completely speechless.”
In tears, the 36-year-old said “maybe I should go” before leaving the room.
Jerome Barson, 78, was a passenger in the car that struck Williams’ 4WD, which was blocking the intersection.
He spent the next two weeks in the ICU, but passed away from his injuries, including head trauma two weeks after the crash at an intersection in Palm Beach Gardens in Florida.
Barson’s wife was also injured in the crash, and a lawsuit has been lodged against Williams, who was not issues any citations by authorities at the time of the crash.