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Former World No. 1 Venus Williams recently announced that she is planning to make her comeback during next year's Sunshine Swing, which includes the Indian Wells and the Miami Open. The announcement has drawn criticism from a few tennis fans online, with some pointing to her low ranking and recent performances and others claiming she doesn't deserve another wild card (WC) for a tournament.
Some fans even questioned why the five-time Wimbledon champion is planning another comeback. One user wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
"Maybe I piss a lot of people off. I’m a huge admirer of the Williams sisters. But really: WHAT’S THE POINT?"
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"I hope they make her go through qualifiers. She doesn’t deserve to get WCs. She couldn’t even beat anyone in the top 150 right now. She’s a guaranteed 1st round (exit) in any tourney," another user wrote.
"She is 413 in the World. How will she get into these tournaments? Please don't tell me with another WC..." another user said.
Here are a few more reactions from fans online:
Venus Williams has had a rough patch since her runner-up finish at the Australian Open in 2017, where she lost to Serena Williams. This has reflected in her rankings; Venus slid down to World No. 413 in 2023.
At the end of the 2018 season, Williams finished outside the top 20 for the first time since 2013, ending the year at World No. 40. She dropped out of the top 50 in 2019, out of the top 75 in 2020, and out of the top 100 in 2021 and 2022.
Venus Williams won 3 out of 10 matches in the 2023 season
Venus Williams won only three of her 10 matches in 2023, with her last appearance coming at the US Open, where she bowed out in the first round.
At Wimbledon, Williams lost to Elina Svitolina in straight sets in the first round, having received a wild card for the event. Williams took a nasty tumble early in the first set on Centre Court and hurt her right knee, which was already heavily strapped. The 43-year-old American was attended by the trainer twice but her perseverance was undone by 33 unforced errors.
Venus Williams continued to play across the North American hardcourt summer. Her most notable loss occurred in the opening round of the 2023 US Open, against qualifier Greet Minnen in straight sets.
In a year-end review video uploaded on YouTube, Williams said that she effectively shut down the season after her injury at Wimbledon in order to give her knee a chance to heal.
“I went to Wimbledon and sadly slipped in the third game of the match and really got injured. I spent the whole summer pretty injured with my knee, like really struggling with it," Williams said on her YouTube channel.
Williams added that while she did not want to miss the US Open, she was not happy with her performance at the Major, which she previously won in 2000 and 2001.
"I didn't want to miss the US Open, made it there, but definitely not my best performance after so much time off after Wimbledon. So, I decided not to play anymore the rest of the year and just give my knee a chance to heal," she added.
Venus Williams and Father Richard recall one match that 7-time Grand Slam champion "should have won"
