Venus Williams Among Players Given Wild Cards For 2025 Indian Wells Open
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44-year-old Venus Williams will continue her extraordinary career after being given a wild card for the 2025 Indian Wells Open. She is one of four players to receive a wild card.
Williams has not played a WTA match since losing to Diana Shnaider at last year's Miami Open in March. Many fans reasonably assumed that someone of Venus' age would retire after spending so much time away from the sport.
However, after releasing a book about wellness during her time away from the sport, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion said she planned on returning to tennis by picking and choosing her tournaments.
Someone with Venus' legendary status has earned the right to do that. She would receive wild cards at many tournaments across the world, but it is even more certain at events held in her native United States.
It will be fascinating to observe Williams' level in Indian Wells. Although she showed glimpses of her powerful game against Shnaider in her last match almost 12 months ago, keeping up with the rising young star at her age proved too difficult.
Fellow multiple-time Grand Slam champion Petra Kvitova has also been given a wild card. The Czech missed the entire 2024 season on maternity leave, giving birth to a son, Petr, during that time.
Kvitova had raised doubts about returning to tennis after a complicated pregnancy that required a C-section. At that stage, she was understandably more concerned about her family than playing tennis again.
Luckily for Kvitova's many fans worldwide, she announced her upcoming return to tennis at next week's ATX Open in Austin a few weeks ago. That will be followed by an appearance in Indian Wells after being given a wild card.
Like Williams, there is a chance Kvitova might be rusty at the WTA 1000 tournament in what will be just her second tournament since being on maternity leave, but she could still be a dangerous opponent to face.
Teenage prodigy Joao Fonseca is the first men's wild card. The 18-year-old won the first ATP title of his career at the 2025 Argentina Open in Buenos Aires after defeating Francisco Cerundolo in the final.
Fonseca lost in the opening round of this week's Rio Open on home soil in Brazil, but that was understandable. Living up to the pressure of playing in front of his home fans a few days after what he achieved in Buenos Aires was never going to be easy.
The teenager generated headlines before the Argentina Open by stunning Andrey Rublev in the opening round of the 2025 Australian Open. Although Rublev did not play badly, his opponent's incredible level defeated him.
Fonseca still has much development ahead of him, but he could reach the top of the men's game in the next few years because of his superb talent. That makes him someone fans in Indian Wells will enjoy watching.
Learner Tien is the final player to be given a wild card. He stunned Daniil Medvedev in the second round of this year's Australian Open and should get much support on home soil in the United States.
