The Indian Wells organizers have announced that Venus Williams, at 44 years of age, will have an invitation to the main draw of the Californian tournament. Venus, ranked 974th in the WTA rankings, is reluctant to officially hang up her racket despite the fact that she hardly plays. To find her last official match, you have to go back to the Miami Open in 2024. She lost in the first round to Russia’s Diana SchnaiderThe elder Williams has not left the United States since the summer of 2023 when she played at Wimbledon and the Rogers Cup in Montreal. Last season, in addition to Miami, she played at Indian Wells, also losing in the first round to Japan’s Nao Hibino
A 15-year boycott
Venus boycotted the WTA 1000 at Indian Wells from 2022 to 2015 over match-fixing allegations and racist abuse she and her sister Serena received at the 2001 edition. “I think Indian Wells dishonored the United States,” said the Williams sisters’ father, who was their coach in the early 21st century. The seven-time Grand Slam champion competed in the Coachella Valley for the first time in 1994.
In addition to Williams, the Californian tournament has also awarded a wild card to Petra Kvitova and Brazilian Joao Fonseca
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