Venus Williams returns: Indian Wells wildcards announced, including teen sensation Joao Fonseca

The first wildcards for the 2024 Indian Wells Masters have been confirmed, featuring the return of seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams and the inclusion of teenage sensation Joao Fonseca.

The tournament, set to take place from March 16 to 30, has granted four wildcards—two in each draw—highlighting two legends on the women’s side and two rising stars from the ATP circuit who recently competed in the Next Gen ATP Finals.

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Venus Williams: A historic comeback

Venus Williams is undoubtedly the most iconic name in the draw, as she makes her return to the Tour nearly a year after her last appearance. The former world No. 1 played only the Sunshine Double last year, suffering first-round exits at both Indian Wells and the Miami Open.

Venus Williams won her last match at Cincinnati Open 2023 against world No. 17 Veronika Kudermetova

At 44, the American has repeatedly stated that she has no immediate retirement plans. She has been making sporadic appearances on Tour, competing in just nine tournaments since 2022. With this wildcard, she will play a professional match for the 32nd consecutive season, dating back to her debut in Oakland in October 1994.

Williams has participated in Indian Wells nine times, with her best runs coming in 2001 and 2018, when she reached the semifinals. Notably, she and her sister Serena boycotted the event from 2002 to 2015 after facing accusations of match-fixing, voluntarily skipping the tournament for most of their careers.

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Petra Kvitova: Return after maternity break

Former world No. 2 Petra Kvitova has not played a match in 2024, having taken a break from the Tour to become a mother. The 34-year-old last competed at the 2023 China Open, where she lost in the second round to Liudmila Samsonova, finishing the year ranked No. 14.

Kvitova holds an 18-12 (60%) record at Indian Wells, with quarterfinal runs in 2013, 2016, and 2023. This will be her first tournament in 17 months, as she looks to regain match fitness and accumulate points to climb back up the rankings.

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Joao Fonseca: The Brazilian star

Joao Fonseca initially did not qualify for the main draw, sitting among the alternates with an entry ranking of No. 99. However, the 18-year-old Brazilian secured a wildcard to make his Masters 1000 debut, fresh off winning his first ATP title at the Argentina Open, where he defeated local hope Francisco Cerúndolo in the final.

Fonseca continues his rapid rise on the ATP Tour, recently reaching a career-high ranking of No. 68. He is undoubtedly a player to watch in Indian Wells and will be a dangerous first-round opponent for any seeded player.

Joao Fonseca at 2024 Australian Open.

Learner Tien: A promising American talent

While Fonseca has quickly adapted to the Tour, Learner Tien has been following closely behind, proving he can compete at the highest level. The 19-year-old American made headlines at the Australian Open by qualifying for the main draw and reaching the fourth round, where he shocked three-time finalist and fifth seed Daniil Medvedev.

Tien has already claimed several ATP wins and was the runner-up at the Next Gen ATP Finals, where he lost to Fonseca in the final. He now receives his first Masters 1000 main draw wildcard, shortly after achieving a career-high ranking of No. 80.

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