Venus Williams has been given a wildcard entry for the BNP Paribas Open, which might make subsequent month’s match in Indian Wells her first occasion in almost a yr.
The 44-year-old hasn’t competed wherever on tour since a first-round loss on the Miami Open on 19 March 2024. That was lower than two weeks after she misplaced her opening match at Indian Wells.
The seven-time grand slam singles champion’s first look at Indian Wells got here in 1994. Williams received 5 titles at Wimbledon and two on the US Open in singles, together with 14 grand slam doubles titles together with her sister Serena.
The Williams sisters had a sophisticated historical past with Indian Wells. They boycotted the match for plenty of years after they have been subjected to racist taunts by some members of the group in the course of the closing of the 2001 match. Serena returned to the match in 2015 and Venus adopted her in 2016. Venus is at the moment ranked No 974 after her lengthy break from the tour. Her final singles title got here on the Taiwan Open in February 2016.
Different wildcard recipients introduced Wednesday embody two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova – who’s returning to motion after a 15-month break whereas giving start to her first baby – and youngsters João Fonseca and Learner Tien.
Fonseca, 18, received his first ATP title on the Argentina Open this month. Tien, 19, reached the fourth spherical on the Australian Open in January.
The match runs from 2-16 March.
Supply hyperlink
