INDIAN WELLS, California — In a surprising turn of events, the 44-year-old tennis legend Venus Williams will not be gracing the courts at the BNP Paribas Open, as announced by the tournament on Sunday. This news comes just days after the initial excitement of her wild-card entry was revealed.
“We’ve learned that Venus will not be accepting the wild card for this year,” the event shared on social media, citing a message from the tournament director, Tommy Haas.
“We extend our best wishes to Venus and look forward to welcoming her back to Indian Wells in the future.”
This unexpected reversal follows hours after audio clips circulated on social media where Williams announced her decision to withdraw from the upcoming tournament held in the beautiful Coachella Valley.
Earlier in the week, the BNP Paribas Open had jubilantly declared that Williams — a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion — was granted a wild card, marking her anticipated 10th appearance at this prestigious event.
Since her first-round defeat at the Miami Open in March 2024, this iconic athlete has not competed anywhere on tour, following her earlier exit at Indian Wells.
