"Quite selfish of Venus Williams to ask for a wildcard" "This is ridiculous!" - Fans react to American receiving Indian Wells wildcard

Serena Williams' elder sister and fellow American tennis great Venus Williams has received a wildcard entry for next month's BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. The 44-year-old's return after a lengthy absence sparked a wave of reactions from tennis fans.

Venus Williams has been out of action for almost a year, causing her ranking to drop to 974th. Her last WTA Tour-level appearance was at the 2024 Miami Open, where she fell in the first round. Following an injury-ridden 30th season on the WTA Tour in 2023, she received wildcard entries for the 2024 BNP Paribas Open and Miami Open.

Apart from the seven-time Major champion, the tournament granted a wildcard entry to Petra Kvitová. The two-time Wimbledon champion announced earlier this month that she would return to tennis after giving birth to her first child in July.

Several fans reacted to the news of Venus Williams' return, with one fan criticizing the decision, writing:

"It’s actually quite selfish of her to ask for a wildcard," they wrote.

"She should let younger people play..this is ridiculous!," another said.

In response to Venus Williams' comeback, a fan suggested granting wildcard entries to tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Hingis as well.

"maybe they should bring back Chrissy and Martina..."great news for tennis"???" They said.

Another fan playfully compared Williams' comeback to boxing legend Mike Tyson's return to the ring, sharing a GIF.

"Venus Williams in 2025"

Here are a few more reactions from the fans:

"Love to see Venus win it all and shut all these comments up!" A fan commented.

"First round exit," another chimed in.

---

Venus Williams previously boycotted Indian Wells for nearly 15 years

Venus Williams at 2023 US Open - Image Source: Getty

Venus Williams shares a notable history with the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. She and her sister, Serena, boycotted the tournament for nearly 15 years following a controversial incident in 2001. Just before their scheduled semifinal match, Venus withdrew due to a knee injury.

The seven-time Major champion watched from the stands alongside her father, Richard Williams, as her sister faced Kim Clijsters in the final. However, Venus was met with jeers from the crowd and faced a similar reception during Serena Williams' victory celebration.

The hostile reception led the sisters to boycott the tournament for years. While Serena returned in 2015, Venus did so in 2016, ending a 15-year absence.

Venus, a four-time semifinalist at the WTA 1000 event in Indian Wells, will aim for a similar run in the 2025 edition.