Aug 14, 2023; Mason, OH, USA; Venus Williams celebrates after beating Veronika Kudermetova during round one of the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason Monday, August, 14, 2023. Williams won 6-4, 7-5. Mandatory Credit: Cara Owsley-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo
(Reuters) - Grand Slam champions Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki have been awarded wild cards to play in the Indian Wells tournament next month.
Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, has not played since suffering an early exit from last year's U.S. Open after a humbling defeat by qualifier Greet Minnen in the first round.
The 43-year-old American and former world number one will return to Indian Wells for the first time since 2019, when she reached the quarter-finals.
Wozniacki, 33, made a comeback to the circuit last year after a three-year break following the births of her two children. She reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open, where she lost to eventual champion Coco Gauff, and made it to the second round of the Australian Open last month.
Denmark's Wozniacki, a former world number one and Australian Open champion in 2018, will be back in Indian Wells after a five-year hiatus, having won in 2011.
The BNP Paribas Open will be held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden from March 6-17.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; editing by Clare Fallon)
