Even in the twilight of her career, Venus Williams’ love for the game burns undiminished as she prepares to compete in Austin following a tough AO. At 45, she became the oldest player to enter a tournament main draw through a special invitation. Now, the American icon appears set for a return to Indian Wells after skipping last year’s wild card.

Venus Williams is returning to Tennis Paradise. The former World No. 1 will play both singles and doubles at next month’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells after accepting a wild card.

“I’m so excited to be heading back to Indian Wells and can’t wait to return home to play in California,” Williams said in a statement released by the tournament on Friday and on her Instagram stories.

“This tournament is always such a special experience, and there’s nothing like competing in front of these incredible fans.” Tournament director Tommy Haas welcomed her return. The former World No. 2 called it a special moment for the event.

“It is an honor to award the first wild card of this year’s event to Williams,” He added, “Venus is a legend of the game, and one of the most accomplished players our sport has ever seen.”

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“We are thrilled to welcome her back to Tennis Paradise and give the fans the chance to see her compete in both singles and doubles.” The 45-year-old last played in Indian Wells in 2024. Her appearance in 2026 will mark her 10th career participation at the tournament.

Williams was also offered a wild card for the 2025 edition. However, she declined due to prior commitments and travel plans overseas. She later said she found the public announcement amusing. She had learned about the wild card at the same time as everyone else.

This year, she will also return to doubles at Indian Wells. It will be her first doubles appearance there since 2000, when she and Serena Williams reached the semifinals.

Williams will partner with Canada’s Leylah Fernandez. The pairing builds on their quarterfinal run together at last year’s US Open. So far in 2026, Williams has played three tournaments. She has also accepted a wild card for the ATX Open in Austin, which runs through March 1.

The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has shown strong fight in her matches. At the Australian Open, she pushed Olga Danilovic to three sets before falling 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 after leading 4-0 in the final set. 

And as for Indian Wells, Venus Williams shares a strong history with the tournament and now returns to a place she proudly calls home.

Venus Williams shares a long and complex Indian Wells history

Indian Wells is one of the most prestigious events outside the four Grand Slams. It is often called the “fifth Grand Slam” because of its large crowds and world-class facilities.

The tournament also features the second-largest tennis stadium in the world. Only Arthur Ashe Stadium at the US Open is bigger. However, Indian Wells was not always a happy place for the Williams family. Venus and Serena boycotted the event for many years after a major controversy in 2001.

That year, Serena won the title at just 19. She defeated Kim Clijsters in the final but faced heavy boos and racial abuse during the match. The situation began earlier in the tournament. Venus had withdrawn from her semifinal against Serena just 20 minutes before the match due to a knee injury.

The late withdrawal angered the crowd. It also led to false claims that their father, Richard, controlled the outcomes of their matches. The atmosphere turned hostile for the entire Williams family. The abuse they received was severe and deeply hurtful.

In her 2009 autobiography, Serena wrote, “What got me most of all was that it wasn’t just a scattered bunch of boos. It wasn’t coming from just one section. It was like the whole crowd got together and decided to boo all at once. The ugliness was just raining down on me, hard.”

She also added, “There was no mistaking that all of this was meant for me. I heard the word n***** a couple of times, and I knew. I couldn’t believe it.”

Because of the incident, the sisters stayed away from the tournament for years. Serena returned in 2015 after a 14-year boycott, while Venus came back in 2016 after 15 years away, though she later declined a wild card in 2025.

And as she prepares to return to the tournament, can she make a deep run this time?