Skip to content
BNP Paribas Open
  • Tickets & Packages
  • Tennis Paradise Experience
  • News
Get tickets

Indian Wells, California

March 6 - 19, 2023

Get tickets
  • The Tennis Paradise Experience
  • Tickets & Packages Toggle
    • Series Packages
    • Mini Packages
    • Hotel Ticket Packages
    • Group Packages
    • Luxury Suites
    • My Tickets Account
  • News
  • Tournament Toggle
    • Competition Schedule
    • 2022 Results
    • 2022 Players
    • Venue ↗
    • History
  • Plan Your Visit
  • Get Involved Toggle
    • Volunteers
    • Ball Crew
    • Employment Opportunities
  • Partnerships Toggle
    • Partners
    • Partnership Opportunities
  • Shop ↗
  • Contact
BNP Paribas Open Insider News
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
WTA

BNPPO19 Preview: Venus Williams vs. Andrea Petkovic

Saturday, March 10, 2018 - Venus Williams plays Sorana Cirstea in the 2nd Round of the BNP Paribas Open in Stadium 1 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California. (Michael Cummo/BNP Paribas Open)

by Richard Osborn
03/07/2019

Title-Minded as Ever at 38, Venus to Open Against Petko

Compton, Calif., where she first honed her craft, is just a two-hour drive due west of Indian Wells. But, in many ways, the Venus Williams of 2019 couldn’t be further from those cracked courts where her father, Richard, once fed her flat-air tennis balls from a shopping cart.

V. Williams vs. Petkovic
Watch it live
Buy tickets

Venus and her younger sister, Serena, have ventured far beyond anything their parents — Richard and Oracene — ever could have envisioned when they saw Virginia Ruzici pocket $40,000 on their TV screen all those years ago.

Now 38, Williams is a seven-time Grand Slam champion, with four Olympic gold medals and more than $41 million in prize money. Speaking of prize money, she led the fight for an equal payday at the All England Club. She owns her own fashion line: EleVen. She’s overcome a Sjogrens Syndrome diagnosis. And a quarter-century into her professional tennis career, she’s still wielding a racquet.

Though she’s fallen to No. 36 in the world, Williams is still a force on the WTA Tour. The American comes to the BNP Paribas Open having played just six matches all year. She’ll open against another former Top-10 veteran. Germany’s Andrea Petkovic, 31.

It should be a competitive matchup. They’re an even 2-2 in career head-to-heads, although their last encounter was five years ago. Petko, one of the WTA’s sharpest and well-liked performers, is looking to reestablish her game after having fallen to No. 68.

Williams and Petkovic are second on court in Stadium 1 today.

See Women’s Draw
Andrea PetkovicMatch previewVenus WilliamsWTA
  • Share it with facebook
  • Share it with twitter
  • Share it with email
Popular news
  • 03/23/2022 Video: The Story of the 2022 BNP Paribas Open
  • 03/20/2022 Fritz Snaps 21-Year American Drought, Wins 2022 Men’s Singles Title
  • 03/20/2022 22 for ’22: Tennis Paradise Takeaways
  • 03/20/2022 Swiatek Powers Past Sakkari, Wins 2022 Women’s Title
  • 03/20/2022 Tennis Paradise 2022 in Photos
Recent news
  • fritz 03/24/2022 Video: Taylor Fritz – Sunday, March 20, 2022
  • 03/23/2022 Video: The Story of the 2022 BNP Paribas Open
  • 03/21/2022 Elena Rybakina – Monday, March 14, 2022
  • 03/20/2022 Video: Rafael Nadal – Sunday, March 20, 2022
  • 03/20/2022 22 for ’22: Tennis Paradise Takeaways
Related articles

Monday Preview
Venus Williams vs. Christina McHale

How much further will vintage Venus go? That’s the question on everyone’s mind, as Venus Williams continues her magical run in […]

Read more

Thursday Preview
Venus Williams vs. Angelique Kerber [8]

Venus, Kerber set for titanic BNP Paribas Open clash It’s been somewhat of a revival tournament for Venus Williams. Prior […]

Read more

Venus Williams Overcomes Andrea Petkovic in First Round Frenzy

In a back-and-forth affair; Venus triumphs in the desert. Venus Williams, seven-time Grand Slam champion and 49-time WTA Tour Title […]

Read more

Post navigation

Previous5 Things to Watch on Thursday
Next3 reasons you’re not going to want to miss tonight’s evening session
  • bnp logo
  • penn logo
  • fila logo
  • IW logo
  • emirates logo
  • furgal logo
  • Media
  • Contact
  • Partnerships
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • California Privacy Rights
© 2022 BNP Paribas Open a Desert Champions LLC Event
Close
Get the latest updates
Get the latest updates from Tennis Paradise
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Subscribe