World number one Serena Williams felt the timing was right to make her way back to Indian Wells for the first time since 2001.

Williams has avoided the BNP Paris Open following her treatment prior to the 2001 final, with her father accusing fans of racial abuse amid jeers and boos by the Indian Wells crowd.

However, Williams is finally back at the WTA tournament and the American veteran said she has moved on from the controversial circumstances surrounding her 2001 title triumph.

"It was just a really good opportunity for me. It was time," said Williams, who is preparing to face Monica Niculescu on Friday.

"There wasn't one thing that said I should come back in 2015 - I didn't even know I'd still be playing this year. It was more or less just time. I just kind of felt it.

"I was taught when I was young to always forgive, and always try to look at the bigger picture, so to say.

"In order to forgive you have to be ready to let go of everything. I kind of let go a long time ago, but I still wasn't at the point where I was ready to come back to Indian Wells.

"I think I was a little nervous as well. So trying to get over those nerves of coming back and how I feel, and thinking about what it's going to be like - you have to let a lot of those emotions go."