Serena Williams defends her integrity, ends 14-year Indian Wells boycott
World number one says she has to let go of the past after being booed as a teenager on her way to winning the title
Serena Williams lifted the lid on her 2001 Indian Wells final, calling it one of the darkest days in her professional career.
“I remember sitting down and praying,” Williams said on Thursday. “I think I was losing in the first set and I told myself I don’t want to win this match.
“I just wanted to get through this moment. Not win the match, get through and get off the court pretty much.”
I have had a tremendous amount of integrity from the day I stepped out on the court as a professional until today
The world number one said she was trying to forget the events of 2001, when the 19-year-old Serena was booed during the final by fans who accused her and her sister Venus of rigging a match.
Williams said she had to let go of the past before she could allow herself to end her 14-year boycott of the Indian Wells tournament.
“Before, I wasn’t at a point where I was ready to come back to Indian Wells,” Williams said.
“I didn’t think I would come back to be honest. I felt like I did what I needed to do. I had finished my career in terms of being here.”
Serena defended the sisters’ sense of fair play, saying she has always tried to stick to the rules and is too good an athlete to need to take shortcuts to victory.