The extraordinary fact that highlights the validity of Venus Williams on the ring

Americans return to work Venus Williams (487th in the WTA rankings) is cause for celebration. However, the party could not be completed because they lost to the Japanese Nao Hibino (80th place) with a score of 6-2, 3-6, 0-6 in the first round of the tournament WTA 1000 Indian Wells.

The eldest of the Williams sisters, 43, competes for the first time in 2024 (her last meeting was at last year's US Open) and is beginning her 31st season as a professional tennis player.

There is one fact that speaks for itself about its validity: 67 of the other 95 players in Indian Wells' main draw were not born when she played her first professional match (against Shawn Stafford at the WTA Tour in San Jose in 1994).

The tenacious tennis player, a former world number one in singles and doubles, received an invitation to play Miami WTA 1000The tournament will be held starting March 17.

Hibino, coming from the rankings, won her first match in this competition and already has a confirmed opponent in the second round: the Russian Veronika Kudermetova (nineteenth).

Indian Wells can be watched live on STAR+ throughout Latin America.