Serena Williams has spoken about the lasting trauma she experienced after being booed by thousands of fans at the 2001 Indian Wells tournament. The 23-time Grand Slam champion was just 19 when she faced a hostile crowd after her sister Venus withdrew from their semi-final match due to tendonitis.
The incident occurred when Venus pulled out shortly before the match, leading to suspicions of match-fixing after comments from Russian player Elena Dementieva. When Serena took to the court for the final against Kim Clijsters, she was met with boos from the nearly 16,000-strong crowd, along with Venus and their father Richard.
Despite the hostility, Serena won the final in three sets. However, the experience left her deeply affected. She described crying uncontrollably after the match and said she suffered from post-traumatic stress and mental anxiety. As a result, she and Venus boycotted the tournament for 14 years.
Serena returned to Indian Wells in 2015, writing a column for TIME magazine to announce her decision. Although she received a standing ovation from a crowd that included Bill Gates and John McEnroe, she admitted the return was still traumatising. She recalled sitting in the bathroom before her match, fearing the crowd might boo again.
