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.

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.

Former world number one Venus Williams has turned down a wildcard for next month's Indian Wells tournament. Organisers said last week the 44-year-old had been invited but the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has not taken it up.

Copyright © 2025 Bleacher Report, Inc. A Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved.

Former world number one Venus Williams will not compete at next month's Indian Wells tournament despite the WTA 1000 event giving the 44-year-old American a wildcard, ESPN reported 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

Williams publicly rejected the wildcard offer over the weekend, claiming she had no idea she had been given one until Indian Wells made the announcement.

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.

Former world No. 1 Venus Williams has been awarded a wild card for the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. The 44-year-old will be returning to court after nearly a year.

Former world number one Venus Williams will not compete at next month's Indian Wells tournament despite the WTA 1000 event giving the 44-year-old American a wild card. Williams, who played only two tournaments last season,