Outside of the 4 Grand Slams, it is the most attended tennis tournament in the world. More fans, and more of the world's top players come to the desert to participate in the PNB Paribas Open than any other tennis event in the world, outside of the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. Pair that with a geographical location that produces the most stunningly gorgeous winter environments, with snow-capped peaks in the distance and summer-like temperatures, and you've got a tennis "paradise." Here are some behind the scenes looks at this year's event, and the reasons you need to visit, either this year-if you are lucky to be reading this while the tournament is ongoing-or next year, in March, when this 2-week tennis sojourn, kicks up again.
| 1• The World's Best Tennis Players |
The tournament attracts some 250 players, including singles and doubles. All ten of the top ranked men in the world competed, while 9 of the top ten ranked women entered the competition. NADAL, FEDERER, DJOKOVIC and MURRAY also competed in doubles, with FEDERER and STANISLAUS WAWRINKA meeting NADAL and MARC LOPEZ still alive going into championship weekend. The two teams were on course to meet in the semi-finals. Defending men's champion IVAN LJUBICIC and woman's champion JELENA JANKOVIC also returned to defend their titles.
Included below are the opening press conferences, and photo galleries where indicated, from 5 of the best men in the game, and photo galleries of 5 of the best women tennis has to offer.
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| 2 • The World's Best Tennis "Paradise" |
This tournament moved to the desert in 1976 and was won by JIMMY CONNORS. It has seen past champions like ANDRE AGASSI and SERENA WILLIAMS in 2001, MICHAEL CHANG and LINDSAY DAVENPORT in 1997, PETE SAMPRAS and STEFFI GRAF in 1994, MONICA SELES in 1992, JIM COURRIER and MARTINA NAVRATILOVA in 1991, STEFAN EDBERG and, BORIS BECKER in 1988. In 2000 the tournament moved to its current location at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, a truly remarkable place for tennis.
With 23 world class courts, a center court that seats 16,00, and which ROGER FEDERER called one of the best center courts in the world, some 8 acres of grounds, the Open is a tennis carnival extraordinaire.
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| 3 •Name That Grunt |
In 1989 MONICA SELES took the tennis world, and pop culture by storm, with a snarling, shrieking, brash and somewhat annoying grunt on every stroke of the tennis ball. It was all the rage, and rage it was, with some even suggesting a rule change to prevent the precocious champion from ruining the game, or gaining an unfair advantage, one which this talented player certainly did not need. STEFFI GRAF and MARTINA NAVRATILOVA were two such players who complained to referees to admonish SELES, and instruct her to "tone it down."In interviews, MONICA, who said she had done so since the age of 6 when she started playing the game, credited JIMMY CONNORS with bringing the "grunt" to tennis.
Today, many players include some form of "grunt" in their routine. Can you name the 3 popular women's players below, merely by their "grunt"?
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| 4 • The Pratice Courts |
While you might think all the action at a tennis tournament occurs on the competition courts, you would be surprised to learn that the practice courts are really where it's at. Each of the players has a scheduled practice time, usually for an hour, as well as time for stretching and other physical working out on a grassy soccer field near the courts. There are raquets to be strung, and most importantly, fans for whom you must pose for pictures, as well as sign all manner of items, not the least of which is the giant lime green tennis ball. Bring your Sharpie!
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| 5 • Upsets, Upsets, Upsets |
Some of the most exciting moments at a tennis tournament are those priceless times when a lessor ranked player rises up, if only for a moment, or perhaps as part of a trajectory that will take that player into the higher heights of the rankings, and beats a better opponent. It happens at every tournament, sometimes in the early rounds, sometimes when it matters most. Here at Indian Wells there have been many such moments, recently in 2009 when MARDY FISH bested an unbeatable ROGER FEDERER, or in 2005 when a complete unknown, , her next round opponent in a war of words, only to lose in 3 sets.
This year's competition saw it's share of upsets, including 21-year old DONALD YOUNG bouncing 5th seed ANDY MURRAY out of the torunament in his first match on the courts this year.The press conferences from both, immediately after that match are below. JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO on a comeback journey from a wrist injury that derailed his elevator ride to the top of the men's game, eliminated last year's defending champion IVAN LJUBICIC. Other notable upsets included ANA IVANOVIC, herslf on a bit of acomeback trail to try and get back to number 1, beating 6th seed, and fellow countrywoman, JELENA JANKOVIC, last year's champion.
CHRISTINA McHALE, a 18-year old from New Jersey, beat down 2-time Grand Slam Champion SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA 6-3, 6-1 in the second round.
PENG SHUAI took out fellow countrywoman LI NA, the 7th ranked woman in the world. SHUAI is ranked 36th in the world, and took MARIA SHARAPOVA to 3 sets in the quarterfinals before losing in this tournament.
PHILIPP KOHLSCHRIEBER, the 27-year old from Germany, with a highest ranking ever of 22, and current ranking 35th, beat ROBIN SODERLING, ranked 4th in the world.
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| 6 • New Faces |
One of the coolest things to experience at this tournament is to see, in person and up close, the up and coming stars of the tennis world as they begin to blossom. This year, a young Canadien, MILOS RAONIC has been on everybody's radar as a player to watch. American RYAN HARRISON, 18 year's old, and riding high after beating IVAN LJUBICIC at last year's US Open, is a favorite of American hopefuls. He, along with SOMDEV DEVVARMAN gave the world's best, NADAL and FEDERER a bit of a scare pushing them in tight matches in the round of 16. DEVVARMAN, from India, was a qualifier to get into this tournament, but with the initiation by fire having been handled with such aplomb, look for him to resurface later in the year. MELANIE OUDIN is still a fresh face, though the 5'6" 19-year old is finding the going tough now that her 2009 buzz has settled. ANDREA PETKOVIC is 23, and has been playing on the tour since 2007, but she is coming front and center for her cloeup, with a fresh face, a physique like an Avatar, and a personality aided not only by her game, which is rising-she is 23rd in the world-but also by her popularity on Twitter. Look for this Bosnian, who resides in Germany to break out. RYAN SWEETING ran into RAFAEL NADAL in the 3rd round, but by the looks of things, fans are ready to embrace the young American, a 23-year old from Ft. Lauderdale, and he, as you can see in the pictures, is more than willing to give fans the shirt off his back. Finally ROHAN BOPANNA and AISAM UL-HAQ QURESHI made it to the quarters at Wimbledon and the finals in men's doubles at the US Open last year. They are not only fan favorites for their tennis, but also by virtue of the fact that BOPANNA is from India and QURESHI is from Pakistan. Tennis is changing the world.
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| 7 • Ana Ivanovic |
Tennis has always had it's share of beauties, that combined feminine style and grace with superior athletic skills. GABRIELA SABATINI comes to mind, and of course ANNA KOURNIKOVA is known by even those with little interest in tennis. As a matter of fact, KOURNIKOVA had little interest in tennis. But ANA IVANOVIC is that rare mix of stunning beauty and physical talent. ANA hails form Serbia, along with other tennis greats NOVAK DJOKOVIC and JELENA JANKOVIC. She won this torunament in 2008, as well as the French Open in that same year, before achieveing world number 1. And she is drop dead gorgeous.
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To inquire about tickets for the championship weekend, click on the link below:
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