Indian Wells Open Explained

Indian Wells Open
Type:joint
Logo Size:150px
Location:Tucson, Arizona
(1974–75)
Rancho Mirage, California (1976–80)
La Quinta, California (1981–86)
Indian Wells, California (1987–current)
Website:bnpparibasopen.com
Men's Singles: Carlos Alcaraz
Women's Singles: Iga Świątek
Men's Doubles: Wesley Koolhof
Nikola Mektić
Women's Doubles: Hsieh Su-wei
Elise Mertens
Atp Category:ATP Tour Masters 1000
(since 1990)
Grand Prix tennis circuit
(1977–89)
Atp Draw:96 / 48 / 32
Atp Prize Money: (2024)
Wta Tier:WTA 1000
(since 2021)
WTA Premier Mandatory
(2009–19)
WTA Tier I
(1996–2008)
WTA Tier II
(1990–95)
WTA Tier III
(1989)
Wta Draw:96 / 48 / 32
Wta Prize Money:US$ 8,995,555 (2024)

The Indian Wells Open is an annual professional tennis tournament held in Indian Wells, California, United States. It is played on outdoor hardcourts at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, and is held in March. The tournament is part of the ATP Masters 1000 events on the ATP Tour and part of the WTA 1000 events on the WTA Tour.

The tournament is the best-attended tennis tournament outside the four Grand Slam tournaments (493,440 in total attendance during the 2024 event);[1] it is often called the "fifth Grand Slam" in reference to this.[2] The Indian Wells Tennis Garden has the second-largest permanent tennis stadium in the world, behind the US Open's Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. The Indian Wells Open is the premier tennis tournament in the Western United States and the second largest tennis tournament throughout the United States and the Americas (behind the US Open in the Eastern United States).

Preceding the Miami Open, it is the first event of the "Sunshine Double" — a series of two elite, consecutive hard court tournaments in the United States in early spring.

Between 1974 and 1976, it was a non-tour event and between 1977 and 1989 it was held as part of the Grand Prix Tennis Tour. Both singles main draws include 96 players in a 128-player grid, with the 32 seeded players getting a bye (a free pass) to the second round.

Location

Indian Wells lies in the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs area), about east of downtown Los Angeles.[3]

The tournament is played in the Indian Wells Tennis Garden (built in 2000) which has 29 tennis courts, including the 16,100-seat main stadium, which is the second largest tennis-specific stadium in the world.[4] After the 2013 BNP Paribas Open, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden started an expansion and upgrade of its facilities that includes a new 8,000 seat Stadium 2.[5] The revamping of the tennis center also included a "Pro Purple" interior court color created specifically for the ATP Masters Series and first used at Indian Wells, citing the purple color being 180 degrees and exactly opposite the yellow of the ball.[6]

History

The tournament was founded by former tennis pros Charlie Pasarell and Raymond Moore. It has been known by a number of names, and accepted numerous corporate sponsorships, throughout its existence. The French multinational banking group BNP Paribas has held the naming rights since 2009.[7]

Originally the women's tournament was held a week before the men's event. In 1996, the championship became one of the few fully combined events on both the Association of Tennis Professionals and Women's Tennis Association tours.

The Indian Wells Open has become one of the largest events on both the men's and women's tours. In 2004, the tournament expanded to a multi-week 96-player field. Winning the Indian Wells Open and the Miami Open back to back has been colloquially termed the Sunshine Double. Dubbed the "Grand Slam of the West",[8] [9] it is the most-attended tennis tournament in the world other than the four Majors, with over 450,000 visitors during the 2015 event.[10]

In 2009, the tournament and the Indian Wells Tennis Garden were sold to Larry Ellison.[11] [12]

On March 8, 2020, the tournament was postponed, and later canceled, to halt the potential spread of COVID-19.[13]

Williams sisters boycott

Venus and Serena Williams refused to play the Indian Wells tournament from 2001 to 2014 despite threats of financial sanctions and ranking point penalties. The two were scheduled to play in the 2001 semifinal but Venus withdrew due to an injury. Amid speculation of match fixing, the crowd for the final loudly booed Serena when she came out to play the final and continued to boo her intermittently through the entire match, even to the point of cheering unforced errors and double faults.[14] Williams won the tournament and was subsequently booed during the awards ceremony. Nine days later, while attending the Ericsson Open, Richard Williams, Serena and Venus's father, stated racial slurs were directed at him while in the stands at Indian Wells.[15] He said that while he and Venus were taking their seats for the final, multiple fans used the racial slur and one spoke of skinning him alive.[16] When asked about her father's allegations, Venus said "I heard what he heard." Indian Wells tournament director Charlie Pasarell said he was humiliated by the crowd's reaction, adding, "I was cringing when all that stuff was going on. It was unfair for the crowd to do that."[17]

After a phone call from Larry Ellison (the multi-billionaire founder of Oracle, tennis enthusiast and most recent owner of the tournament), Serena Williams returned to Indian Wells in 2015, ending her 14-year boycott of the event.[18] [19] [20] Venus Williams ended her boycott by competing in Indian Wells the next year.[21]

Past finals

Men's singles

YearChampionsRunners-upScore
1974 John Newcombe (1/1) Arthur Ashe6–3, 7–6
1975 John Alexander (1/1) Ilie Năstase7–5, 6–2
1976 Jimmy Connors (1/3) Roscoe Tanner6–4, 6–4
↓  Grand Prix circuit  ↓
1977 Brian Gottfried (1/1) Guillermo Vilas2–6, 6–1, 6–3
1978 Roscoe Tanner (1/2) Raúl Ramírez6–1, 7–6(7–5)
1979 Roscoe Tanner (2/2)6–4, 6–2
1980Final not held due to rain (tournament cancelled at the semifinal stage)
1981 Jimmy Connors (2/3) Ivan Lendl6–3, 7–6(7–5)
1982 Yannick Noah (1/1) Ivan Lendl3–6, 6–2, 7–5 [22]
1983 José Higueras (1/1) Eliot Teltscher6–4, 6–2
1984 Jimmy Connors (3/3) Yannick Noah6–2, 6–7(7–9), 6–3
1985 Larry Stefanki (1/1) David Pate6–1, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3
1986 Joakim Nyström (1/1) Yannick Noah6–1, 6–3, 6–2
1987 Boris Becker (1/2) Stefan Edberg6–4, 6–4, 7–5
1988 Boris Becker (2/2) Emilio Sánchez7–5, 6–4, 2–6, 6–4
1989 Miloslav Mečíř (1/1) Yannick Noah3–6, 2–6, 6–1, 6–2, 6–3
↓  ATP Tour Masters 1000  ↓
1990 Stefan Edberg (1/1) Andre Agassi6–4, 5–7, 7–6(7–1), 7–6(8–6)
1991 Jim Courier (1/2) Guy Forget4–6, 6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 7–6(7–4)
1992 Michael Chang (1/3) Andrei Chesnokov6–3, 6–4, 7–5
1993 Jim Courier (2/2) Wayne Ferreira6–3, 6–3, 6–1
1994 Pete Sampras (1/2) Petr Korda4–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–2
1995 Pete Sampras (2/2) Andre Agassi7–5, 6–3, 7–5
1996 Michael Chang (2/3) Paul Haarhuis7–5, 6–1, 6–1
1997 Michael Chang (3/3) Bohdan Ulihrach4–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–3
1998 Marcelo Ríos (1/1) Greg Rusedski
1999 (1/1) Carlos Moyá5–7, 6–4, 6–4, 4–6, 6–2
2000 Àlex Corretja (1/1) Thomas Enqvist6–4, 6–4, 6–3
2001 Andre Agassi (1/1) Pete Sampras7–6(7–5), 7–5, 6–1
2002 Lleyton Hewitt (1/2) Tim Henman6–1, 6–2
2003 Lleyton Hewitt (2/2) Gustavo Kuerten6–1, 6–1
2004 Roger Federer (1/5) Tim Henman6–3, 6–3
2005 Roger Federer (2/5) Lleyton Hewitt6–2, 6–4, 6–4
2006 Roger Federer (3/5) James Blake7–5, 6–3, 6–0
2007 Rafael Nadal (1/3) Novak Djokovic6–2, 7–5
2008 Novak Djokovic (1/5) Mardy Fish6–2, 5–7, 6–3
2009 Rafael Nadal (2/3) Andy Murray6–1, 6–2
2010 Ivan Ljubičić (1/1) Andy Roddick7–6(7–3), 7–6(7–5)
2011 Novak Djokovic (2/5) Rafael Nadal4–6, 6–3, 6–2
2012 Roger Federer (4/5) John Isner7–6(9–7), 6–3
2013 Rafael Nadal (3/3)4–6, 6–3, 6–4
2014

Notes and References

  1. Web site: BNP Paribas Open sets attendance record during unforgettable two weeks in Indian Wells . 2024-04-02 . The Desert Sun . en-US.
  2. https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2021-05-20/bnp-paribas-open-tennis-finally-returns-to-indian-wells-in-october BNP Paribas Open tennis finally returns to Indian Wells in October
  3. Web site: Google Maps. February 8, 2016.
  4. Web site: Indian Wells Tennis Garden – Site Facts. February 8, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303185919/http://www.iwtg.net/Site-Facts. March 3, 2016. dead.
  5. Web site: 2014 Indian Wells Tennis Garden Expansion. ATP. March 3, 2013.
  6. Web site: BNP Paribas Open Debuts New Plexipave® IW Stadium Court. March 3, 2014.
  7. News: Indian Wells tourney changes name. January 15, 2009. June 6, 2023.
  8. News: The Long and Winding Road to Indian Wells. March 12, 2013. The Beverly Hills Courier. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130301182129/http://bhcourier.com/the-long-and-winding-road-to-indian-wells/2009/03/11. March 1, 2013.
  9. News: Larry Ellison opens his wallet for Indian Wells event. March 12, 2013. USA Today. March 13, 2011.
  10. Web site: Top 15 Moments Of 2015 Tournament. BNP Paribas Open. February 8, 2016.
  11. https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2012-mar-05-la-sp-0306-dwyre-baripas-open-20120306-story.html Charlie Pasarell and Co. keep tennis' desert palace glittering
  12. http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2009/12/Indian-Wells-New-Owner.aspx BNP Paribas Open Announces Larry Ellison As New Owner
  13. Web site: Indian Wells tennis postponed after coronavirus confirmed . March 8, 2020 . March 8, 2020.
  14. News: Williams booed after Indian Wells win. CNN .
  15. News: Racism charges swirl as Williams sisters advance . CNN . October 29, 2013 . May 18, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140518052044/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/news/2001/03/26/ericsson_open_ap/ . dead .
  16. Web site: Richard Williams: Indian Wells disgraced America . www.espn.com . Associated Press . 14 March 2024 . 28 March 2001.
  17. Web site: Smith . Doug . Williams' father says booing racially motivated . usatoday.com . 14 March 2024 . 28 March 2001.
  18. Serena Williams: I'm Returning to Indian Wells . Time . Serena . Williams . February 4, 2015.
  19. Web site: Archived copy . March 14, 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150315000522/http://www.wtatennis.com/SEWTATour-Archive/posting/2015/609/MDS.pdf . March 15, 2015 .
  20. Web site: 2015-03-11 . Bryant: How Serena and Indian Wells came to an agreement . 2023-03-20 . ESPN.
  21. Web site: Venus books return to Indian Wells. WTA. January 27, 2016. January 30, 2016.
  22. News: NOAH BEATS LENDL, ENDING STREAK AT 44. . February 22, 1982 .