Former world No. 1 Venus Williams will not play at next month’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells after declining her wild card invitation, the tournament announced on Sunday.

Venus Williams confirms she did not accept the wild card to play Indian Wells: "I'm not playing. I found out about the wild card when you guys did. Just saying. I love Indian Wells, I would love to be there and if I could have accepted it, I would have been like, yes. But I… pic.twitter.com/y3CXDUKquL

It turns out 44-year-old Venus Williams will not be playing at the BNP Paribas Open. The tournament in Indian Wells, California, revealed on Sunday that Williams won't play, days after it announced she would be competing there as a wild card.

Venus Williams will not be playing in the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., after all. The tournament announced on social media last week that it had granted Williams, 44, a wild-card entry into the event.

Venus Williams said Sunday that she is not playing in the upcoming BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, Calif., despite event organizers announcing she would be playing in the event.

Williams has not competed since the Miami Open in March 2024, in which she lost in straight sets to Diana Shnaider in the first round

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Venus Williams received a wild-card entry Wednesday for the BNP Paribas Open, which would make next month’s tournament in Indian Wells, California, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion’s first event in nearly a full year.

Venus Williams received a wild-card entry on Wednesday for the BNP Paribas Open, making next month’s tournament in Indian Wells, California, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion’s first event in nearly a full year.