Venus Williams drops BNP opener, 30 years after her Indian Wells debut
In 1996, the pro tennis tournament now known as the BNP Paribas Open, was played at the Grand Champions resort in Indian Wells. The men’s portion of the event was called the Newsweek Champions Cup and the women’s portion was known as the State Farm Evert Cup.
The winners were Michael Chang and Steffi Graf. In the first round of that year’s women’s tournament, a French woman named Julie Halard Decugis defeated a 15-year-old qualifier named Venus Williams 6-2, 6-4.
On Thursday, 30 years, 49 titles and seven Grand Slams later, Williams was playing in Indian Wells again, this time at the Tennis Garden, in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open.
It had a similar result as the now 45-year-old Williams lost 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-1 to a woman from France, this time it was 22-year-old Diane Parry.
Parry was the better player early, a step faster and with a more potent serve, as both players struggled with a stiff breeze on Stadium 1. She broke Williams in the sixth game of the first set which was all it took to win 6-3.
The second, though, was a battle, with Williams showing moments of brilliance, jolting the crowd to life with some sizzling winners. It went to a tiebreak and it was Williams playing error-free tennis to pull out the second set.
The third set belonged to Parry as the unforced errors started to mount for the 45-year-old. Parry took control early in the set and never let up.
Parry advances to face Madison Keys on Friday.
Williams, who was in the event as a wild card, has now lost her last seven WTA matches. She acknowledge the crowd with waves as a half full Stadium 1 gave her a nice ovation after her 2 hours, 21 minute battle on the court.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Diane Parry tops Venus Williams in first round at Indian Wells
