See main article: 1990 Newsweek Champions Cup and the Virginia Slims of Indian Wells.
Hana Mandlíková and Pam Shriver were the defending champions, but Shriver did not compete this year. Mandlíková teamed up with Larisa Savchenko-Neiland and lost in the semifinals to Jana Novotná and Helena Suková.
Novotná and Suková won the title by defeating Gigi Fernández and Martina Navratilova 6–2, 7–6(8–6) in the final.[1] [2]
The first four seeds received a bye into the second round.