(VIDEO) "It doesn't take two seconds to get cold water" - Venus Williams loses temper with officials as forced to wait for cold water

WTA
Friday, 06 March 2026 at 15:30
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Venus Williams was put in a dire mood just after levelling up her first round match at Indian Wells against Diane Parry after a tight tiebreak. In desperate need for cold water, she was left red-faced when the service she expected did not come, causing her to let off some steam.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion was making a return to Indian Wells for the first time since making her comeback after retiring. It has not been the most glamorous comeback in terms of results, winning just one first round singles match out of a possible eight ahead of her clash with Parry, with that coming in her first match back in action at the DC Open.
She was desperately hoping to get back on track and gain some positive momentum heading into the rest of the year as she looks to prolong her already illustrious tennis career. Things did not go to plan from the off when the American was broken in a three-game spurt which saw Parry move 5-2 ahead in the first set. Williams had limited time to get back into it and was unable to with the Frenchwoman securing a prominent advantage on court.
This was followed by her moving 3-2 in front after winning eight consecutive points over two clinical games. However, this time Williams was able to respond and got the second set level instantly, preventing the chance of a third break moments later. The set was dominated on serve for the rest of proceedings, ending up at a tiebreak. After going 3-1 down, Williams secured an impressive comeback with five points in a row securing her a number of match points. After a 78 minute set, Williams took her second match point to keep her chances afloat.

Williams loses her cool as she waits for water to come

Ready to quench her thirst after a long set, Williams was expecting to have some cold water on standby. While it was not the warmest day in California, the sun was still making it quite hot, and the players would still need to hydrate and cool down every so often.
Williams was desperate for a drink, and this is where he frustrations started to come in when there were none on standby. "If I can't get the waters then I'm calling the referee," she spat out in disgust, losing her patience with the staff.
Someone passed her a couple bottles as Williams stated: "It doesn't take two seconds to get cold water," while sitting in her chair.
She got up and continued to bemoan the ongoing situation. In her cooler, she had some water bottles but took them out, including the ones given to her. "That's extremely unfair," she said, before replying: "No it's not okay, it's not okay." She continued to argue as she walked over to the staff hurriedly trying to sort out the situation. "Get the water," she shouted.
Finally getting what she wanted, the 45-year-old was quick to open the plastic bottle and take a welcoming sip. She sat back down, but would need a bit more than cold water to cool her down after an explosive rant.
She still had a match to win, and that would come derailing down with conditions a factor as well, which she noted after her inevitable defeat. Parry dealt with it better and after Williams held to love to draw level, the 23-year-old won the remaining five games, taking both break points which came her way along with a first match point to take down the tennis icon and book her spot in the second round. After reaching the fourth round on debut in 2024, Parry was not participating last year and will be hoping to recoup some points. The qualifier will next take on former Australian Open champion Madison Keys.
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