Venus Williams returned to the tennis 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 after giving away the lead and dropping the last 10 games, resulting in a 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 defeat.
Williams, who last competed at the U.S. Open in August with a first-round exit, displayed moments of her signature powerful serves and backhands but struggled with errors, including 10 double faults. Despite the loss, she graciously congratulated her opponent at the net and left the court with a smile and wave as the crowd applauded.
The match was initially interrupted by heavy rain and resumed the following day under improved weather conditions. 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 Day 2 of the tournament, notable winners included Emma Raducanu, Caroline Wozniacki, and Danielle Collins. Collins, the 2022 Australian Open runner-up, is set to face No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek in the upcoming round.
In the men's competition, three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka suffered a close defeat against Tomas Machac, while Gael Monfils and Lucas Pouille emerged victorious. Rafael Nadal, scheduled to play his first match since January, withdrew from the tournament ahead of his scheduled match.
The BNP Paribas Open continues to showcase thrilling matches and surprises as top players compete for victory in the prestigious tournament.
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