Venus shot down reports that she will compete at India Wells
Tennis superstar Venus Williams has shut down rumours of an imminent return to tennis despite being announced on the line-up for Indian Wells next month.
The seven-time Grand Slam winner has not played in nearly a year, having been away from the court since losing in the first round of the Miami Open last March.
It seemed she would be making a comeback when it was announced on Wednesday that she had been given a wildcard for Indian Wells.
However, the 44-year-old claimed during an appearance on the Tennis Weekly Podcast that she had not accepted any offers, saying it was 'not true'.
Williams added that she was training with a view to returning soon, explaining that she was keeping in shape ahead of a potential comeback.
It remains to be seen whether she will appear at Indian Wells despite her denial. The official website still claims that she is lined up to take part.
Williams played at last year's event, losing at the hands of Nao Hibino in the opening round. She previously boycotted the tournament for 15 years after her younger sister, Serena, was heckled by fans during her win over Kim Clijsters in 2001.
The jeers appeared to be in response to Venus withdrawing from the semi-final between the two siblings, citing a knee injury. Her father, Richard, later accused fans of racial abuse. Venus did not return to the tournament until 2015, a year after Serena.
