At 44, most of us are moaning to friends about getting old (even if that makes parents and indeed anyone older roll their eyes in dismay) and lamenting the wilder days of our youth. Those who are still playing sports at any sort of reasonable level will no doubt find that injuries become an incredibly frequent occurrence and an even more frequent topic of conversation.
Things can get a little bit like the famous Monty Python “Four Yorkshiremen” sketch, or the Jaws scene where they compare scars – but maybe we’re showing our age here! Nonetheless, whilst the rest of us 40-somethings are trying to outdo each other with calf strains (known as “old man calf”) and tight hamstrings, 44-year-old Venus Williams is preparing to play at the Indian Wells Open.
Controversy for the Williams Sisters at Indian Wells
Serena Williams winning Indian Wells in 2001.
She was boo’d and her family were called racial slurs during this match. Through it all, she kept her head up and stood proud.
“The reception wasn’t so good, but if you’re a champion you should be able to get through it.” pic.twitter.com/3CJyWB9QWg
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) March 8, 2023
This year called the BNP Paribas Open for sponsorship reasons, Indian Wells, as it is more simply known, is one of the most prestigious tournaments outside the four Grand Slams. The fortnight-long event sees men and women play alongside each other, with the tournament classed as an ATP Tour Masters 1000 event for men and a WTA 1000 one for women.
Venus has never won this tournament, which is surprising until one realises that both she and her sister, Serena, refused to play here for more than a decade from 2002 onwards. That timeframe alone indicates the incredible longevity that Venus (and Serena) have enjoyed in their careers. This boycott came about after the two were supposed to meet in the semi final in 2001 before Venus withdrew.
Serena went on to defeat Kim Clijsters in the final and in total won this tournament twice. However, that year’s event may be most remembered for the controversy surrounding the semi final. Venus stated that she was injured, though many believed that the two simply did not want to go head to head. It was a very late withdrawal that left the crowd frustrated, not least because there was a suggestion that the father of the sisters, Richard, was essentially deciding who should win certain games between the duo.
Whatever the reason for the withdrawal, when Serena came out to contest the final she was loudly booed by the crowd. Throughout the whole match there was continued booing and a hostile atmosphere. Subsequently, Richard Williams stated that both he and Venus, who had watched the final from the stands, were racially abused during the match. Richard even said that they were physically threatened (in quite graphic terms), a claim that Venus backed up.
Due to this terrible incident, Serena would not play Indian Wells again until 2015, whilst Venus refused to play until the following year. Serena had won the tournament in 1999 and lost the final in 2016, whilst Venus has never made it to the final of this tournament. Might that change in 2025?
Surprise Wild Card for Venus
In reality, Venus has very little hope of claiming her first win at Indian Wells. And that’s very possibly overstating her chances. She has not played a competitive match for around a year, last competing at Tour level back in March 2024 when she lost in the first round at the Miami Open. Her world ranking has plummeted and she is only barely hanging onto a place in the top 1,000, coming in at 974th in the world right now.
It was quite a surprise that she has been given a wild card for Indian Wells, with many feeling there are far more deserving players out there. No doubt there are lots of players who would have a better chance of a decent run in the tournament, and also those who need the money and the exposure more than Williams does. Venus may trail her little sister by some distance when it comes to Grand Slam titles but even so, a tally of seven is very impressive in the scheme of things.
She last won a match even further back, in August 2023, so it is unclear why the tournament organisers have decided she deserves a wild card here. Clearly her inclusion will boost media attention but her age and history of injuries mean she is unlikely to win too many sets, let alone matches.
Venus Defies Age
We are confident that every now and again Venus has a little moan to her mates about her ailments and perhaps occasionally needs to use her phone to see the menu in dark restaurants. But the fact that she is even competitive at all, or close to it, on the WTA Tour, at the age of 44, is incredible.
Whilst this will be “just” her 10th appearance at this tournament, she first played Indian Wells in 1997. The tournament took place in March of that year and a month earlier the two oldest members of the current LTA Top 10, Madison Keys and Jessica Pegula, turned three! Many of the other members of the game’s current elite were not even born and world number three, Coco Gauff, would not enter the world for another seven years!
Venus has set so many records over the years, for a wide range of things but it is testament to her longevity that all the way back in 2017 she became the oldest player to beat the current world number one. She stands alone as the player to have made the most appearances in the draw at a Grand Slam (93, between 1997 and 2023). That means she has been competing at the highest level of the game, in the simplest sense, for the best part of 27 years.
She has played at five separate Olympics, winning a joint-record four golds (a record, like so many, she shares with Serena) and is quite simply one of the true greats when we factor in the length of her career. But we bet she still can’t believe quite how expensive a Freddo is these days (if they have them in America!).