The Indian Wells Masters/WTA Indian Wells Open (currently known as the BNP Paribas Open for sponsorship reasons) is a professional tennis tournament that is a ATP Masters 1000 event on the men’s tour and a Premier Mandatory event on the women’s tour. First played in 1974, it is considered the biggest tournament outside of the four Grand Slam events, both in attendance and prestige.
The event was solely a men’s event from its inception until 1989, when a women’s tournament was introduced and played a week before. However, in 1996 the tournament became a combined event with the men’s and women’s event being played concurrently. The main draw size for each event was expanded to 96 players in 2004, similar to the Miami Open which is held the week after and made winning both events known as the Sunshine Double.
Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have won the most number of men’s single titles with 5 each, both winning the tournament for 3 consecutive years. There have been 9 players to have the women’s tournament twice, including Lindsay Davenport who reached a record 6 Finals.
The 2019 Indian Wells champions were:
2019 Men’s Singles Champion – Dominic Thiem (AUT)
2019 Women’s Singles Champion – Bianca Andreescu (CAN)
2019 Men’s Doubles Champion – Nikola Mektić (CRO) / Horacio Zeballos (ARG)
2019 Women’s Doubles Champion – Elise Mertens (BEL) / Aryna Sabalenka (BLR)
When is the BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells)?
The tournament is held annually, usually in early to mid March and the week before the Miami Open. Both are the only two events other than the Majors, in which the main draw is played beyond eight days. The events are the last two hard court events before the ATP and WTA’s clay court season.
Where is the BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells)?
The tournament has been played at the purpose built Indian Wells Tennis Garden since 2000, which features a 16,100 capacity main court making it the second largest outdoor tennis stadium in the world. Prior to 2000, the event had been held at several different venues:
- Grand Champions Hotel – now the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa (Indian Wells, California, USA) – 1987-1999
- La Quinta Hotel (La Quinta, California, USA) – 1981-1986
- Mission Hills Country Club (Rancho Mirage, California, USA) – 1976-1980
- Tucson Racquet and Swim Club (Tucson, Arizona, USA) – 1974-1975
Address: 78-200 Miles Ave, Indian Wells, CA 92210, United States
How do I get there?
The Indian Wells Tennis Garden is in the city of Indian Wells in the Coachella Valley of California.
Airport:Â Palm Springs International is approximately 16 miles north west of Indian Wells and features flights from many US and Canadian airports. Alternatively Ontario International Airport is just over 80 miles away or the much larger Los Angeles International Airport is 140 miles away.
Thinking of going to Indian Wells? Search & book your flights through Skyscanner here.
Driving & Parking:Â The tennis centre is located just north on Washington Street from Highway 111 if heading from Palm Springs (30 minutes), or south on Washington Street off Interstate 10 if heading from Ontario (90 minutes), Los Angeles (2.5 hours) or San Diego (2.5 hours). Public parking during the event is available in the General Lot off of Miles Avenue, costing $25 per car.
Where to stay in Palm Springs
Use TripAdvisor to find some great places to stay in Palm Springs by clicking here.
How do I get tickets to the BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells)?
The latest ticket information is available on the official website here.
Further Information
Indian Wells Masters Official Website
Indian Wells Tennis Garden Official Website
Last Updated on February 26, 2021 by Sports Tourist