Venus Williams responds after being handed wildcard for singles and doubles at Indian Wells

Venus Williams has been out of action since her opening-round loss at the Australian Open.

And that probably isn’t a shock to most people. Given she’s 45 years old, it’s only natural that her schedule looks very different from others still grinding away on tour.

It’s not as if she needs to keep playing. She’s sticking around because she loves it, and it shows. Fans are enjoying every chance they get to watch one of the game’s greats still competing.

Now, her status and surprising competitiveness with much younger opponents have earned her another wildcard entry, this time at Indian Wells.

Venus Williams reacts to Indian Wells wildcard

In the tournament’s press release, the American showed her appreciation for the chance to play at such a high-profile event.

She expressed her gratitude to organisers, saying: “I’m so excited to be heading back to Indian Wells and can’t wait to return home to play in California. This tournament is always such a special experience, and there’s nothing like competing in front of these incredible fans.

“I’ve made so many fun memories here over the years, and I’m grateful to the tournament for having me back and giving me the opportunity to compete in both singles and doubles.”

This year, she’ll again team up with Leylah Fernandez in doubles, following their partnership at last year’s US Open.

Tournament director Tommy Haas added: “It’s an honour to award the first wild card of this year’s event to Venus Williams.

“Venus is a legend of the game, and one of the most accomplished players our sport has ever seen. We are thrilled to welcome her back to Tennis Paradise and give fans another chance to see her compete in both singles and doubles.”

Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez reunite for Indian Wells after stunning US Open

There’s plenty of interest around Venus and Leylah linking up again, especially after how well they played together last time out.

The American-Canadian duo had a real run at Flushing Meadows, making it all the way to the quarter-finals before running into Taylor Townsend and Kateřina Siniaková, who eventually reached the final.

Along the way, they knocked out Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez before handling Ulrikke Eikeri and Eri Hozumi without much trouble.

They then faced another seeded pair in the Round of 16 but didn’t seem bothered at all, picking up another straight-sets win.

Their momentum was halted by the top seeds in a close battle where they just couldn’t quite finish off chances. Still, it was a strong showing that sets up their reunion nicely ahead of Indian Wells.

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