INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Venus Williams misplaced once more in her return to the BNP Paribas Open, falling within the first spherical Thursday, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-1 to Diane Parry of France.
The 45-year-old Williams, who has dropped her previous eight WTA singles matches, obtained a wild card into the singles and doubles attracts for the event within the Southern California desert. It got here 30 years after she made her Indian Wells debut in 1996 when she was 15.
After Williams rallied within the second set to tie it, the 23-year-old Parry, ranked 111th on the planet, took management and cruised within the third.
It was Williams’ tenth profession look within the event and first since 2024, when she additionally misplaced within the first spherical as a wild card. The seven-time main winner was given a wild card final yr however did not settle for it.
“In fact dropping is not enjoyable, however it’s nice to play in entrance of a house crowd,” the Southern California native stated. “They have been behind me the entire method, and that was actually enjoyable for that.
“I’ve wonderful followers that consider in me and it is enjoyable to play for them, and even in apply once they come out. It’s totally thrilling. Yeah, as we speak was a troublesome one, however that is sport and that is life, and I will take what I want from it.”
Parry will face Fifteenth-ranked American Madison Keys within the second spherical Saturday.
Williams entered the BNP Paribas Open having misplaced her earlier seven matches, with the one win in her comeback to the tour coming in her return at Washington final yr.
She competed within the Australian Open in January and misplaced within the first spherical in each singles and doubles. Williams was the oldest lady to compete in an Australian Open singles principal draw, surpassing the mark set by Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she misplaced within the first spherical in 2015.
Williams most lately participated within the ATX Open in Austin, Texas, final month as a wild-card entry and misplaced within the first spherical of singles to Ajla Tomljanovic.
