Venus Williams returned to the court after a six-month hiatus, facing off against qualifier Nao Hibino at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. The 43-year-old, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, unfortunately lost the match in a three-set battle.
Williams, who last competed at the US Open in August, struggled to find her rhythm against Hibino, ultimately losing the match with a score of 2-6, 6-3, 6-0. Despite the defeat, Williams graciously congratulated her opponent at the net and left the court with a smile, acknowledging the applause from the crowd.
Once ranked World No. 1, Williams has faced challenges in recent years due to injuries, leading to limited tournament appearances. Her last Grand Slam victory dates back to Wimbledon in 2008, and she has been playing selectively since then.
During the match, Williams showcased her signature powerful serves and backhands but struggled with errors, including 10 double faults. The encounter was briefly interrupted by rain, but play resumed the following day under sunny skies and warmer temperatures.
Despite the loss, Hibino, ranked 80th, secured her first victory at Indian Wells and will advance to face No. 17 seed Veronika Kudermetova in the next round.
On the second day of the tournament, other notable winners included Emma Raducanu, Caroline Wozniacki, and Danielle Collins. Collins, the 2022 Australian Open runner-up, is set to face World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the upcoming round.
In the men's draw, three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka suffered a close defeat against Tomas Machac, while Gael Monfils and Lucas Pouille emerged victorious in their matches. Rafael Nadal, scheduled to make his return to the tour, withdrew from the tournament ahead of his match.
