To play more matches, you need to win more matches, and Venus has yet to start doing that again. Since last summer, she’s 1-7. But she’s not wrong about her level and her ability to hang with her opponents. Three of her losses—including one to Karolina Muchova—have come in three sets.
Can she get over the hump against Parry in the big stadium on Thursday afternoon? It’s possible. The Frenchwoman, who is half Venus’s age, is ranked 111th. She has good hands and timing, a versatile one-handed backhand, and she has already won two matches to qualify. At 5’7″, though, she’ll give up a lot of height and power to the American.
These days, Venus’ level can swing wildly from set to set and match to match. I’ll say the Indian Wells crowd will help her keep that level high enough, for long enough, this time. Winner: Williams