WATCH: Controversy rocks Venus Williams & Madison Keys' Charlotte Invitational exhibition with bizarre line-calling error

Venus Williams (left), Madison Keys (right), Sources: Getty
Venus Williams (left), Madison Keys (right), Sources: Getty

Venus Williams and Madison Keys' recent Charlotte Invitational exhibition clash produced a bizarre moment, which, despite being quite hilarious, raised concerns once more regarding the accuracy of electronic line calling systems in tennis. Keys, who grew up idolizing Williams, ultimately won the match in straight sets.

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On Thursday, December 4, former World No. 1 and seven-time singles Major winner Venus Williams faced current No. 7 and reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys at this year's Charlotte Invitational, which was held at the Spectrum Center. Here, with the score at 40-40 on Williams' serve as she trailed Keys 1-3 in the first set, a return from the latter was ruled out by the electronic line calling system.

Subsequently, the visual element of the electronic line calling system kicked in, bizarrely showing on the screen that Madison Keys' return, despite being a very close call, had landed in. More bizarrely still, in the video, the word 'OUT!' could be seen. The situation left both Keys and Venus Williams baffled, as they tried to talk it out with the chair umpire. The current World No. 7 at one point said:

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"It said out, but in, but also out."

Watch the moment unfold below:

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Keys went on to win the match 7-6, 6-0, following which she shared a brief but touching embrace with her idol on the other side of the net.

"I’ll never play a full schedule, but I’ll show up here and there" - Venus Williams on future WTA Tour participation

Venus Williams at the 2025 Charlotte Invitational (Source: Getty)
Venus Williams at the 2025 Charlotte Invitational (Source: Getty)

In the buildup to her 2025 Charlotte Invitational clash against Madison Keys, Venus Williams opened up on her future participation on the WTA Tour and at the Majors. The 45-year-old, laying bare her love for tennis, told Channel 9:

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"I don’t imagine the future without tennis so at some point, even if I’m never on tour, I’ll still be hitting the ball. And so while I’m still hitting the ball well, it’s like why not. It wasn’t easy to come back and play after two years off. It was stressful."
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She added:

"But I started to realize people were really happy for me and rooting for me and it was great to take that out there with me and I think it took a lot of pressure off. So yeah, I still have love, I love what I do. I’ll never play a full schedule, but I’ll show up here and there."

Williams has already committed to playing at the WTA 250 ASB Classic in Auckland at the start of the 2026 tennis season.

Venus Williams and Father Richard recall one match that 7-time Grand Slam champion "should have won"

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Edited by Sudipto Pati
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