INDIAN WELLS: Venus Williams is getting a wild card into the singles and doubles draws for the BNP Paribas Open next month in the Southern California desert. The 45-year-old will be making her first appearance in the tournament since 2024, when she lost in the first round as a wild card. "It's an honor to award the first wild card of this year's event to Venus Williams," tournament director Tommy Haas said Friday. A year ago, she was given a wild card, but didn't accept it. "I'm so excited to be heading back to Indian Wells and can't wait to return home to play in California," Williams said.

Source: Indian Express February 21, 2026 10:42 UTC