Serena Williams was booed throughout her 2001 Indian Wells final. Her father said the crowd directed racial slurs at him from the stands. She refused to return for 14 years. When she finally returned in 2015, the crowd gave her a standing ovation. She cried.

Serena Williams Boycotted Indian Wells for 14 Years - Then the Same Crowd Gave Her a Standing Ovation

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When Serena Williams walked toward the Indian Wells court in March 2015, she stopped in a bathroom backstage. She sat there, heart pounding, wondering if the crowd would boo her again. They didn't.

A Win That Felt Like a Loss

The 2001 Indian Wells final should have been a celebration. Serena, 19 years old, defeated Kim Clijsters in three sets to claim her second title at the tournament. But the crowd booed her throughout the match. Her father Richard Williams told USA Today afterward that spectators directed racial slurs at him from the stands while he watched. Serena cried the entire drive home. "I remember just getting in the car and I was just bawling," she said. "There was no celebration."

Fourteen Years Away

Serena and her sister Venus refused to return. For 14 years, the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells ran without the world's best player. In 2015, Serena wrote in Time magazine that she had been thinking about forgiveness. She described the experience as painful and chose to come back partly to speak publicly about race in America. "The undercurrent of racism was painful, confusing and unfair," she wrote. But she decided the time had come. Venus returned the following year.

The Moment She Walked Back Out

On March 13, 2015, Serena emerged from the tunnel for her second-round match against Monica Niculescu. The crowd rose immediately. The ovation lasted more than a minute. Serena started to cry. She later said it released "a lot of feelings I didn't even know I had." She went on to win the match 7-5, 7-5.

On Her Own Terms

Serena later said the 2015 return was the greatest moment of her career. She had waited until she was ready. She chose to come back - and the reception she received showed the crowd was ready to meet her there.

Source:Sports Illustrated

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Serena Williams boycott Indian Wells for 14 years?

In 2001, Serena was loudly booed by the crowd throughout her Indian Wells final win over Kim Clijsters. Her father Richard Williams told USA Today that spectators directed racial slurs at him from the stands. Serena and her sister Venus refused to return to the tournament for 14 years in protest.

What happened when Serena Williams returned to Indian Wells in 2015?

Serena returned to Indian Wells in March 2015 for a second-round match against Monica Niculescu. The crowd gave her a standing ovation lasting more than a minute as she walked onto the court. Serena cried during the ovation, and later won the match 7-5, 7-5.

What did Serena Williams say about her 2015 Indian Wells return?

Serena said the experience released feelings she did not know she had. She later called it the greatest moment of her career. Before walking out she sat backstage uncertain whether the crowd would boo her again - instead they gave her a standing ovation.

Did Venus Williams also boycott Indian Wells?

Yes. Venus Williams joined her sister in boycotting Indian Wells from 2001 to 2015. In 2001, Venus had withdrawn from their scheduled semifinal just before it was due to start, citing a knee injury - a decision that triggered the hostile reaction from the crowd toward the Williams family that day.

What did Richard Williams say happened at Indian Wells in 2001?

Richard Williams - Serena and Venus's father and coach - told USA Today nine days after the 2001 final that spectators directed racial slurs at him from the stands during the match. The booing of Serena throughout the final is also documented on video footage from the event.

Verified Fact

Verified Jun 8, 2026

Source: Sports Illustrated

Show verification details

Verified 2026-06-08. 5 sources read in full: Sports Illustrated Dec 2015 (primary - greatest-moment quote + released-feelings quote), CNN Mar 2015 (post-match presser), NPR Mar 2015 (return/ovation details), ESPN Drucker column (Richard Williams USA Today timeline), ESPN 2021 (Serena Red Table Talk 2001 trauma quotes). Claim-evidence summary: (1) Booing during 2001 final - CONFIRMED, documented on video, multiple sources. (2) Racial slurs claim - CONFIRMED correctly attributed as Richard Williams account to USA Today published March 26 2001 (nine days after March 17 final); hedged as Williams family account throughout text/article/FAQ, never stated as independently verified fact - correct framing. (3) 14-year boycott + return year 2015 - CONFIRMED. (4) Standing ovation / Serena cried - CONFIRMED multiple sources, ovation lasted more than one minute. (5) Greatest moment of career quote - CONFIRMED SI Dec 2015 year-end interview. (6) Released feelings quote - CONFIRMED same SI Dec 2015 interview (NOT spoken immediately post-ovation). (7) 2015 match result def. Niculescu 7-5 7-5 - CONFIRMED Grantland. (8) 2001 final was her second Indian Wells title - CONFIRMED (first 1999 vs Graf). (9) Venus returned following year 2016 - CONFIRMED FOX Sports. (10) Bathroom backstage scene - CONFIRMED ESPN Red Table Talk Nov 2021. CORRECTION: social_engagement_comment rewritten to remove fabricated sequence claim 'Her first words after the ovation:' - the released-feelings quote is from SI Dec 2015 interview, not spoken immediately post-ovation; corrected to 'She later called...' framing. No other fields required correction. No scheduled_posts to cancel (pre-imaging). SOURCE URL confirmed: si.com/tennis/2015/12/14/serena-williams-indian-wells-sportsperson-year supports all central specifics. NOTE: social_caption is short (2 sentences) - no false claims but under 400-char convention; flagged for social-manager.

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