TENNIS – WTA world number 1 Serena Williams announced this week that she intends on returning to Indian Wells after boycotting the Californian tournament for the past 14 years. By Bruno Bergareche Sans
Serena last played the tournament in 2001, lifting the winner’s trophy after defeating Kim Clijsters in the final, but the problems began in her semifinals clash.
Serena was set to play her older sister Venus but moments before the match was set to get underway, Venus pulled out with an injury and the fans expressed their disappointment with angry boos as they sensed they had been short changed. Looking back on that moment, Serena recalls that “in my last match, the semifinals, I was set to play my sister, but Venus had tendinitis and had to pull out. Apparently that angered many fans. Throughout my whole career, integrity has been everything to me. It is also everything and more to Venus. The false allegations that our matches were fixed, cut and ripped into us deeply”.
A couple of days later, when Serena faced Kim Clijsters in the final, boos came from the crowd once again when Richard Williams and Venus Williams turned up to take their seats. Richard showed his disapproval by shaking his head, especially as the jeers continues towards Serena throughout the game, and later went on to claim that he had been the subject of racist taunts.
Understandably, both sisters decided they would not return to Indian Wells. The loser in this tussle can only be the tournament as they have missed the presence of arguably one of the greatest women’s tennis players of all time –if not the best- and have perhaps not done enough to lure her and Venus back.
But in a surprising turn of events this week, Serena decided the time had come to let the water flow under the bridge, stating that “Indian Wells holds a special place in my heart. It’s where I won my first professional match, but it’s also where I lost a piece of myself. For a long time, I just couldn’t imagine revisiting one of the darkest moments of my career. Over the past few years I’ve grown tremendously as a tennis player and more importantly, as a human being. That’s why I’ve decided to return to Indian Wells”.
As for Venus, according to her agent Carlos Fleming, she supports sister Serena in her decision but she will not be playing at Indian Wells this season.
Credit must be given to Serena for being able to forgive and put such a deeply hurtful moment behind her. Just one more demonstration of what a gallant lady she is.
