Tennis ace Serena Williams ends 14-year boycott of Indian Wells; had suffered racist abuse in 2001

American tennis ace Serena Williams has ended her 14-year boycott of Indian Wells after suffering racist abuse at the tournament and would contest the BNP Paribas Open at the Californian resort.

The world number one said that it's been difficult to forget spending hours crying in the Indian Wells locker room. Serena, who beat Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open final last month to earn her 19th Grand Slam title, won her second Indian Wells title as a teenager in 2001, the BBC reported.

Tennis: Serena Williams consolidates top-spot in WTA rankings post Australian Open triumph

The American beat Belgian Kim Clijsters in a final marred by the behaviour of some fans who heckled her and her family, apparently in response to sister Venus withdrawing injured from their semifinal. Confirming her entry in next month's tournament, Serena said that she is 'fortunate' to be at a point in her career where she has 'nothing to prove', adding that she is still as driven as ever, but she 'plays for the love of the game'.

Serena claimed that it is with that 'love in mind', and a 'new understanding of the true meaning of forgiveness', that she would proudly return to Indian Wells in 2015.