CNN
 — 

Tennis legend Venus Williams has received a wild card entry for next month’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, in what would be the 44-year-old’s first event in almost a year.

Williams has not played since losing in the first round of the Miami Open in March 2024 and hasn’t won a match on tour since August 2023.

Next month, though, will be her 10th appearance at Indian Wells – with her first coming back in 1994.

Williams, who has reached the semifinals on three occasions, had boycotted the tournament between 2002 and 2016 after her sister Serena was booed by the crowd in the 2001 final, with the family also saying they were subjected to racist abuse.

In her latest appearance at Indian Wells, Williams lost in her first match against Japan’s Nao Hibino.

While no longer the force she once was, Williams has enjoyed a glittering career which includes seven grand slam singles titles, 14 doubles grand slam titles and two grand slam mixed-doubles titles.

The former world No. 1 also won gold in the singles tournament at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and claimed three gold medals in the doubles tournament in 2000, 2008 and 2012.

In recent seasons, though, Williams has barely played on the tour due to a number of injuries and has slipped to 974th in the world.

Two-time grand slam champion Petra Kvitová has also been handed a wild card entry for the women’s draw. The 34-year-old is returning to action after 15 months since giving birth to her first child.

The BNP Paribas Open will run between March 2-16.