Indian Wells’ Public’s Horrifying Insult to Serena Williams Forced the Tennis Legend To Think of Going Violent – ‘Climb Into the Stands And..’

Published 03/13/2023, 6:47 AM EDT

Serena Williams can never forget the troubled Indian Wells final in 2001. Almost 25 years ago, the Indian Wells crowd started booing and jeering when the 19-year-old tennis player was trying her hardest to add another title to her name. That match in 2001 was the first incident that showed the 23-time Grand Slam champion the ugly face of professional sports.

Being the greatest tennis player doesn’t just come with winning matches. It also comes with bearing with the negative side and coming out of the darkness triumphantly. After the disturbing incident at the Indian Wells final, the Williams sisters boycotted the tournament for the next 14 years.

When Serena Williams shared the rough side of being a tennis player

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In the 23-time Grand Slam champion’s autobiography, ‘Queen of the Court,’ the American tennis legend herself detailed the feelings she went through while playing the 2001 Indian Wells final against Kim Clijsters. She explained in detail how the crowd jeered her for the wrong reason.

While talking about the incident, she recalled how she wanted to lash out at the crowd, but she chose to be cool and composed on the tennis court. And battled with herself and her inner thoughts rather than bursting out to the crowd.

She said, “I wanted to climb into the stands and fight these people, but at this late stage in the match, with the second set finally within reach, I told myself I wouldn’t let this ugliness push me from my goal.”

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Not only at that moment, but even decades after that incident, the former world number one cannot forget how the crowd booed her and her family. She even remembered those brutal comments that made her feel numb about the situation.

Williams still remembers the brutal chorus of boos

In her book, ‘On the Line,’ the former American tennis star wrote about how she will never forget the disturbing words chanted by the crowd. She also recalled how she was given brutal racist references that disturbed her deeply. Additionally, she also revealed that she heard angry voices from the crowd telling her to go back to Compton.

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It was due to this heartbreaking incident, she decided to skip the tournament for 14 years. However, she returned to play in the tournament in 2015. But even after her comeback into the tournament, she mentioned that she could never forget the infamous booing incident.

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Pratishtha Prakash is a Tennis writer at EssentiallySports. She has completed her Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media and Journalism from MIT ADT University, Pune. In the past, she has interned at the sports desk of The Hitavada, a regional English daily newspaper.

Indian Wells’ Public’s Horrifying Insult to Serena Williams Forced the Tennis Legend To Think of Going Violent – ‘Climb Into the Stands And..’

When Serena Williams shared the rough side of being a tennis player

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Williams still remembers the brutal chorus of boos