By Randy Walker
It was nine years ago on March 17, 2001 where the Williams sisters were last seen on court in Indian Wells, Calif. Serena won the tournament presently known as the BNP Paribas Open when she defeated Kim Clijsters 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the championship match. Serena, as well as her older sister Venus and father Richard, were forced to endure harsh yells – including alleged racist words – from fans following allegations that the withdrawal of Venus Williams from her semifinal match with Serena was, somehow, rigged and orchestrated by Richard Williams.
The following is the March 17 excerpt from the compilation ON THIS DAY IN TENNIS HISTORY that details the incident. The sisters have not played in the tournament since.
2001 – Booed as she enters the court for her final round match against Kim Clijsters at the Tennis Masters Series – Indian Wells, Serena Williams withstands the harsh fan and media allegations of match-fixing, by defeating Clijsters 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Fans react severely to the Williams family after Venus Williams abruptly withdraws from her semifinal match with Serena Williams the day before. “In the beginning, I was a little shocked,” Serena says. “Then I was like, ‘Wow, this is getting old. Move on to something new…I prayed to God just to help me be strong, not even to win, but to be strong, not listen to the crowd.” The withdrawal and aftermath came on the heels of tabloid story in the National Enquirer stating that Williams father Richard fixed the 2000 Wimbledon semifinal between the two sisters.