‘Indian Wells is an embarrassment to America’ – Unearthed Serena Williams interview hints at real reason sisters have been absent from event for years

Unfortunately, racism has been a part of the sports world for as long as it has existed. Some athletes of color face discrimination at certain events. One of the most notable events was what happened to Serena Williams and Venus Williams at the 2001 Masters in Indian Wells. As the pair clashed down the stairs, they were met by an aggressively racist crowd.

Both players were traumatized by the comments and decided to boycott the competition. Exhausted Serena Williams revealed how she was sweating after exiting the show.

Serena Williams reveals 2001 Indian Wells horror incident

Many sports stars have experienced horrific incidents where they were discriminated against because of their race. One of the most harrowing incidents occurred in Indian Wells, where the Williams sisters faced threatening racist chants as they walked to court. Serena Williams revealed what happened in a 2001 interview with USA Today.

Serena Williams said: “As Venus and I walked down the stairs to our seats, people kept calling me “bad guy.”” Williams added when proposing details of the scene, “One guy said, ‘I hope it’s ’75;’ We’ll skin you alive. That’s when I stopped and headed that way. “

Serena Williams said of what went through her mind when faced with this incident, “Then I realized (my) best option was to handle the situation non-violently. It was hard for me to hold back the tears. I thought Indian Wells was an embarrassment to America.“.

22 years after heartbreaking incident in Indian Wells, Venus Williams breaks silence on how Sister Serena Williams inspired her to finally make a comeback in the controversial game

After the incident, the Williams sisters decided to boycott the Masters tournament. Serena Williams avoided the event for 14 years and Venus for 15 years. They returned only after lengthy discussions between the sisters and authorities.

Why the Williams sisters returned to Indian Wells

Serena Williams returned to the Indian Wells Masters after 14 years and held an open dialogue with officials at the Indian Wells Garden. The conversation, facilitated by the WTA, ended on a positive note. Venus did not return that same year, but was influenced to return after seeing the way her sister was received in the competition.

They decided to let bygones be bygones and compete in the championship game again. Serena Williams managed to reach the semifinals and finals upon her return, while Venus Williams reached the quarterfinals twice and the semifinals once.

Venus William also competed this year, but she was eliminated in the first round. The tragedy of Indian Wells will never be forgotten and the tournament can only try to make amends in the future.