Williams sisters to play in 2016 BNP Paribas Open
Serena Williams is returning to the BNP Paribas Open, and this year, she’ll be joined by her sister, Venus.
Tournament officials said the entry list is headlined by 10 former tournament champions and 14 Grand Slam singles champions. The largest WTA and ATP World Tour two-week event takes place March 7-20.
According to the release, on the women’s side, the entry list is led by World No. 1, 21-time Grand Slam Champion and two-time BNP Paribas Open winner Serena Williams (1999, 2001). Her sister, Venus, is ranked No. 10 in the world and is a nine-time Grand Slam Champion.
“We are thrilled that Venus Williams, one of the greatest women’s players in the history of the game, is returning to play in the BNP Paribas Open,” said Moore. “Our fans embraced Serena last year, and we expect nothing less for Venus when she returns to compete at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.”
In 2015, Serena ended a 14-year boycott of the tournament, saying she was returning in a spirit of “forgiveness.” She said the relentless booing she received from fans when she last played the event in 2001 haunted her for a long time. Williams won the tournament that year, but she and her sister Venus were booed by fans when their head-to-head semifinal match was scrubbed due to an injury suffered by Venus.
After the match, another player who was asked in a news conference who would have won the match between the sisters said their father, Richard, would probably decide — an insinuation that their matches were rigged.
“The false allegations that our matches were fixed hurt, cut and ripped into us deeply,” Serena wrote in a column announcing her return last year, which was published on Time.com. “The undercurrent of racism was painful, confusing and unfair. In a game I loved with all my heart, at one of my mostcherished tournaments, I suddenly felt unwelcome, alone and afraid.”
When Williams played in that year’s tournament final — which she won — she was booed throughout the match. She was forced to withdraw from a semi-final match last year, after suffering a knee injury.
Chief Executive Officer Raymond Moore announced Wednesday that the Williams sisters will be joined by several former BNP Paribas Open Champions including Defending Champion and World No. 2 Simona Halep, five-time Grand Slam Champion and World No. 5 Maria Sharapova (2006, 2013), and a quartet of former World No. 1 ranked players including two-time Grand Slam Champion Victoria Azarenka (2012), 2008 French Open Champion Ana Ivanovic (2008), Jelena Jankovic (2010), and Caroline Wozniacki (2011). Top 10 ranked tennis players and Grand Slam Singles Champions also on the entry list include Garbine Muguruza (3), 2014 BNP Paribas Open finalist Agnieszka Radwanska (4), Angelique Kerber (6), two-time Wimbledon Champion Petra Kvitova (7), Lucie Safarova (9), two-time Grand Slam Champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and 2011 US Open Champion Sam Stosur.
Now to the men’s side.
The men’s entry list is led by World No. 1, 10-time Grand Slam Champion, and four-time and Defending BNP Paribas Open Champion Novak Djokovic (2008, 2011, 2014, 2015); World No. 3, 17-time Grand Slam Champion, and four-time BNP Paribas Open Champion Roger Federer (2004-2006, 2012); and World No. 5, 14-time Grand Slam Champion and three-time BNP Paribas Open Champion Rafael Nadal (2007, 2009, 2013).
In addition, all of the remaining top 10 ranked men’s players are entered, including two-time Grand Slam Champion Andy Murray (2), 2015 French Open Champion Stan Wawrinka (4), Tomas Berdych (6), Kei Nishikori (7), David Ferrer (8), Richard Gasquet (9), and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (10). The 2014 US Open Champion, Marin Cilic (13), is also entered in the field.
“Looking at this list of incredible players – Djokovic, Federer, Nadal, Murray, the Williams sisters, Halep, Sharapova, Kvitova and so many other talented players – will provide two weeks of great tennis,” said Moore. “Our fans will once again be treated to watching players in Indian Wells, a location that truly makes the event one of the most unique and best venues to watch professional tennis – this is tennis paradise.”
Officials said the remaining spots in the draws will be filled by winners of the Qualifying tournament (WTA – March 7 & 8, ATP – March 8 & 9) and Wildcards, which will be announced in the coming weeks.
Daily tickets for the BNP Paribas Open are now on sale and range in price from $20 for a Grandstand seat for the first Thursday evening session to $70 and $110 for Grandstand and Loge seats, respectively, for the Championship Weekend.
