Indian Wells admits mistake after Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez excluded from doubles draw

The 2026 BNP Paribas Open faced an unusual organisational issue after Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez were prevented from competing in the women’s doubles event due to a tournament administrative error. Both players had been expected to receive a wildcard entry into the draw, but their names were missing when the official doubles bracket was released, prompting questions about what had happened.

The situation became particularly notable given the profile of the players involved. Williams, a former world No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, had received a singles wildcard and was one of the headline attractions in the California desert. Fernandez, the 2021 US Open runner-up and a top-30 player on the WTA Tour, had planned to partner the American after the pair enjoyed success together at last year’s US Open.

Both players exited the singles draw early in Indian Wells. Williams was defeated in three sets by French qualifier Diane Parry, while Fernandez suffered a narrow loss to Katerina Siniakova in a deciding-set tie-break. Their doubles appearance was therefore expected to keep them competing in the tournament during the opening week.

Instead, the pair were unable to take the court after organisers confirmed that their wildcard entry had never been formally processed before the doubles draw was made. By the time the oversight was identified, tournament officials and WTA supervisors concluded that no procedural solution was possible under the rules governing the draw.

According to tournament officials, the issue stemmed from a failure to properly certify the wildcard entry for Williams and Fernandez before the women’s doubles draw was finalised. Indian Wells had publicly announced the partnership in advance, creating the expectation that the duo would compete.

Once the draw was completed, however, the pair’s names were absent from the list of teams. Tournament officials later confirmed that the problem was not related to a withdrawal or injury but rather a procedural oversight that occurred before the bracket was locked.

A spokesperson for the tournament acknowledged the mistake and explained that organisers attempted to explore possible remedies with the WTA supervisor. However, because the draw had already been completed and released, the rules left little flexibility to alter the field.

“The tournament made an error and failed to certify the doubles wild card entry of Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez before the women’s doubles draw was made,” the tournament stated to Open Court. “We worked with the WTA supervisor to review all available options, but because the draw had already been made, the mistake could not be corrected.”

The error ultimately denied fans the opportunity to watch a pairing that had already proven entertaining on a major stage. Williams and Fernandez partnered at the 2025 US Open, reaching the quarter-finals and drawing significant crowds along the way. Their run included a victory over sixth seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez before they were eliminated by eventual runners-up Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend.

At Indian Wells, their partnership had been expected to generate similar interest. The BNP Paribas Open regularly attracts strong doubles fields, and the presence of a high-profile duo combining a tennis legend and a current top-30 player would have been a notable addition to the draw.

Instead, three other wildcard teams were included in the tournament: Emma Raducanu with Elena-Gabriela Ruse, Sloane Stephens with Donna Vekic, and Hailey Baptiste alongside Jelena Ostapenko. With the draw already confirmed, there was no mechanism to replace any of those entries with Williams and Fernandez.

The administrative error also had financial implications. Even a first-round loss in the doubles event would have guaranteed each player roughly $10,000 in prize money. While neither player depends on the earnings, the oversight removed an opportunity to compete and gain match practice during a key stretch of the early hard-court season. “We have apologised to Venus, Leylah and their teams about the matter, and regret that our fans were not able to see this duo compete in Indian Wells this year.”