Venus Williams given wildcard for Indian Wells tournament

NEW YORK : Former world number one Venus Williams has been given a wildcard for this year's Indian Wells tournament, organisers said on Wednesday, allowing the 44-year-old American to compete at the WTA 1000-level event for the 10th time.

The seven-times Grand Slam champion boycotted the tournament for 15 years after fans subjected her younger sister Serena and family to racist abuse during her 2001 final victory over Kim Clijsters.

Venus, whose withdrawal from the semi-final against her sister due to injury that year prompted heckles and jeers from the crowd, returned to the tournament in 2016.

She has reached the semi-finals three times, most recently in 2018, and played in last year's event as a wildcard.

On the men's side, 18-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca, who won his first ATP title at the Argentina Open on Sunday, was granted a wildcard along with 19-year-old American Learner Tien.

Tien last month became the youngest man to reach the Australian Open fourth round since Rafa Nadal in 2005.