INDIAN WELLS — Venus Williams says she hopes to one day follow in the footsteps of her younger sister Serena and experience motherhood.

"I hope I can do that if I ever get there," said the 37-year-old Venus on Wednesday.

"She does everything for the baby. Other than that she stays the same.

"If it happens then I have a good example to follow."

This week marks the return of Serena to the WTA Tour a little under 190 days since the birth of baby Alexis.

Both sisters are competing in the WTA Indian Wells tournament and they landed in the same portion of the draw meaning they could face each other in the third round.

Serena, 36, will need to get through her first round match against 53rd ranked Zarina Diyas and the 29th-seeded Kiki Bertens.

The eighth-seeded Venus has a bye through the first round and will face either qualifier Monica Niculescu or Sorana Cirstea in the second round.

Venus and Serena are more accustomed to meeting in the finals of tournaments. If Venus had any idea she and Serena could meet so early in the Indian Wells draw, she wasn’t letting on.

"I haven’t analysed it at all," Venus said of the field. "If I keep playing hopefully I can win."

Venus reached the Wimbledon final last year where she lost to champion Garbine Muguruza 7-5, 6-0.

She also made the final of the Australian Open and the quarterfinals in Rome and at this tournament.

Venus grew up just a couple hour’s drive away in the south central Los Angeles suburb of Compton.

"This tournament means a lot to me," she said of Indian Wells. "I don’t get to play a lot in the States anymore.

"I am a California and a Florida girl." — AFP