During a recent event in Denmark on Sunday, former world tennis champion Venus Williams announced she won’t be making an appearance at the upcoming BNP Paribas Open. This came as quite a surprise since the tournament had previously announced in a Wednesday press release that Williams, who is now 44, received a wild card entry for the high-profile 1000-level event starting March 2 in Indian Wells, California. This tournament was supposed to mark her first WTA appearance in nearly a year.
While speaking to the audience at “An Evening with Venus Williams” held at Arena Næstved, she quickly dispelled the rumors. When asked if she would be competing, Williams laughed it off, saying, “No, I’m not playing.” She found the announcement amusing, adding, “Actually, I found the announcement super amusing because, I don’t know, people seem to be happy, so I was like, ‘Maybe I’ll just go with it, I don’t know.’ I’m actually not going. I’m going to be overseas. I’m not going to be [there] … I just had a player text me today too, like, ‘Can you play doubles?’ [But] I’m not playing.”
She emphasized that the audience knew about the wild card as soon as she did and mentioned her love for Indian Wells. “I found out about the wild card when you guys did. Just saying. And I love Indian Wells, I would love to be there and if I could have accepted it, I would have been like, ‘Yes.’ But I already made commitments.”
The BNP Paribas Open organizers have yet to reply to ESPN regarding this situation. At the time of the event on Sunday, Williams was still listed on the tournament’s website as a wild card entry.
Venus Williams, known for her 49 WTA singles titles and seven major singles championships, hasn’t competed since last March’s Miami Open. Over the past few years, she’s appeared in tournaments sporadically, fueling rumors about whether she’s stepping away from professional tennis.
She participated in only two events in 2024, both ending in first-round losses at Indian Wells and Miami. In 2023, she managed to clinch just three victories across seven tournaments. Currently, she holds a world ranking of No. 974.
