The relationship between Venus and her sister, Serena Williams, is unique. They are both different and alike in many ways and are unrivaled as a duo, both on and off the court. And as we talk about their camaraderie, they have also been two of the most respected players for what they have achieved.

However, things weren’t that easy for them. Back in 2001, they were both involved in an incident that forced both the Williams sisters to boycott a venue. And 14 years later, Serena Williams was back in the same venue. The legendary American basketball player, LeBron James, took to Instagram to congratulate Serena on her emotional return.

LeBron James Congratulating Serena Williams on her emotional return

Back in 2015, LeBron James took to Instagram and posted a heartfelt emotional message on her return to the Indian Wells Masters tournament after the 2001 infamous incident. “Pride or Progress… Which one will u choose? Congrats @serenawilliams at Indian Wells. Keep it going big sis! #StriveForGreatness” posted King James.

The incident dates back to the Indian Wells Masters tournament in 2001, where Venus was set to play against her younger sister Serena in the semi-finals. Unfortunately, Venus withdrew from the tournament minutes before the match. And the reason for that was her knee injury.

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This didn’t go well with the crowd. They were disappointed because they were looking forward to watching both the sisters go head to head. And moreover, it sparked rumors that their father had pre-determined the match result.

Serena speaking about the Indian Wells 2001 incident

During an episode of Red Table Talk with Will Smith, Serena broke her silence about the tearful 2001 incident. “That was a rough one for me and it was so hard… I just remember getting in the car… there was no celebration and I was just like crying, crying, and crying… We’ve had to face different things that quite frankly, no one has been able to face in tennis. It’s been very, very difficult… Actually was more upset that they were booing my sister when she came down to walk.” she said.

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Consequently, the two sisters, who were then at the height of their careers, decided to skip the tournament for more than a decade. The crowd at Indian Wells was again in the news for all the wrong reasons. Naomi Osaka broke down in tears after losing her second round to Veronika Kudermetova in the recently concluded Indian Wells Masters tournament. She seemed heartbroken by the crowd’s conduct.