March 17, 2001: The day Serena Williams won Indian Wells after controversy

March 17, 2001, marks a significant date in tennis history. On this very day, Serena Williams secured a hard-fought victory against Kim Clijsters in the Indian Wells final, with the scoreline reading 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. This remarkable triumph, however, unfolded amidst an extraordinarily hostile atmosphere. The crowd at Indian Wells vocally expressed their disapproval throughout the match, booing Serena and loudly cheering for her opponent. The animosity stemmed from the preceding semi-final match, where her sister Venus Williams controversially withdrew just moments before their highly anticipated clash. Many spectators at Indian Wells widely believed that this last-minute withdrawal, and consequently the integrity of the match, had been orchestrated by the sisters’ father.