Venus Williams’ return to the Indian Wells Open did not quite go as she had planned.
The American legend, who received a wildcard for the WTA 1000 event, was knocked out in the first round by French star Diane Parry.
After going a set down, Williams attempted a comeback by emerging victorious in a second-set tiebreak, but Parry was dominant in the third, taking the decider 6-1.
So far this season, the 45-year-old has featured at five WTA-Tour level events but failed to win in any of her appearances.
Should Venus Williams still be receiving singles wildcards?
Despite struggling to clinch a victory, Williams continues to close in on one of the most remarkable records in tennis history, set by her compatriot, Martina Navratilova.
Martina Navratilova’s incredible all-time record on the WTA Tour
Navratilova still holds the record as the player with the longest timespan between her first and last WTA tournaments.
The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion debuted in Fort Lauderdale back in 1973, and made her last appearance in ‘s-Hertogenbosch during the 2005 season, a career lasting 32 years and 107 days.
Williams, on the other hand, has been active on the WTA Tour since 1994, when she played her first tournament in Oakland at the age of 14.
Her appearance at the 2026 Indian Wells Open comes 31 years and 125 days after that debut, a timespan that ranks second all-time behind Navratilova.
Her sister, Serena Williams, ranks fifth in career timespans, having made her debut at the Kremlin Cup in 1997 and retiring at the 2022 US Open.
Should Venus enter a tournament this time next year, aged 46, she will break Navratilova’s record.
Every match Venus Williams has played so far in 2026
Williams kicked her 2026 season off at the ASB Classic in Auckland, where she was narrowly beaten by Magda Linette in her opening match.
Then, at the Hobart International, she was handed a straight sets defeat by fellow veteran, 38-year-old Tatjana Maria.
At the Australian Open, Williams looked like she was about to close in on her first win of the season when she took the first set off Olga Danilovic in round one.
The Serb fought back, however, and denied Williams a maiden win in 2026.
After exiting the first major of the year, Williams flew back home to the US and has since suffered first-round defeats in both Austin and Indian Wells.
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