By Alberto Amalfi | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Novak Djokovic is bringing his abilities again to Tennis Paradise subsequent month.
After a five-year hiatus, World No. 1 Djokovic will return to Indian Wells enjoying for an unprecedented sixth title.
The Grand Slam king was unable to play the BNP Paribas Open in recent times attributable to U.S. Coronavirus coverage stopping the unvaccinated Serbian celebrity from entry into America.
The entry checklist for the 2024 BNP Paribas Open, to be held March 3-17 on the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, was issued at this time with 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic and fellow world No. 1 Iga Swiatek each dedicated to competing.
The five-time champion (2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016) owns a tournament-record 20 consecutive match wins from his three-peat in 2014-2016. Djokovic’s final look at Indian Wells in 2019 ended with a 3rd spherical loss to German veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek will play for her second profession Indian Wells title (2022) after reaching the semifinal final yr.
Reigning BNP Paribas Open champions Carlos Alcaraz (World No. 2) and Elena Rybakina (World No. 5) will return to Tennis Paradise trying to reclaim the glory of final yr’s title runs and discover their strides after each fell within the Australian Open sooner than anticipated. Alcaraz wowed crowds within the desert final yr changing into the primary man to win at Indian Wells with out dropping a set since Roger Federer in 2017, whereas Rybakina’s title cemented her place among the many high of the WTA as she took down No. 1 Swiatek and No. 2 Sabalenka in back-to-back matches.
Joining them within the desert will probably be fan favourite and three-time Indian Wells champion Rafael Nadal (2007, 2009, 2013), who will make his return to Tennis Paradise after lacking the 2023 occasion with harm. The 22-time Grand Slam champion will look to jumpstart his season after an harm stored him out of the Australian Open earlier this yr.
2024 Australian Open champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka will arrive within the desert in peak kind hoping to proceed their robust begins to the 2024 season. World No. 4 Sinner fared nicely final yr, bowing out to eventual champion Alcaraz within the semifinal. On the WTA aspect, World No. 2 Sabalenka rolls into Indian Wells as arguably the participant to beat recent off her second main win and back-to-back championships on the Australian Open. Sabalenka will purpose so as to add a primary BNP Paribas Open title to her rising trophy case this March after falling simply quick in 2023 with a loss within the remaining.
Southern California native Taylor Fritz will as soon as once more lead the cost of top-ranked American ATP expertise. Fritz broke the title drought within the desert for American males in 2022 with a dream title run that included an exciting straight-sets victory over Nadal within the remaining.
Top 5 abilities Coco Gauff (World No. 3) and Jessica Pegula (World No. 4) will each vie to grow to be the primary American WTA champion in practically twenty years. The 2023 US Open Champion Gauff will look to construct upon her career-best outcome at Indian Wells when she reached the quarterfinal final yr, whereas the six-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist Pegula will probably be trying to seize a signature title on dwelling soil.
Other high names to observe will embrace six-time Grand Slam finalist and 2023 BNP Paribas Open runner-up Daniil Medvedev, as nicely others within the ATP Top 10, together with Andrey Rublev, Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, Hubert Hurkacz and two-time Grand Slam finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas. Three-time Slam winner and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Andy Murray may also make his sixteenth look in Tennis Paradise.
On the WTA aspect, Top 10 star and breakout expertise Qinwen Zheng (World No. 7) will look to maintain her sizzling run of kind after a dream run to the 2024 Australian Open remaining, whereas World No. 9 Maria Sakkari may also be in search of her breakthrough within the desert after runs to the semifinal and remaining the final two years, respectively. Tunisian celebrity and two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur, 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova and 2023 Roland-Garros finalist Karolina Muchova are additionally Top 10 gamers looking for their first titles at Indian Wells.
Other former Indian Wells champions to look out for are 2021 victors Paula Badosa and World No. 19 Cameron Norrie, in addition to two-time champion and World No. 33 Victoria Azarenka (2012, 2016). Four-time Grand Slam winner and 2018 BNP Paribas Open champion Naomi Osaka and three-time Slam champion and 2019 finalist Angelique Kerber will each return to Tennis Paradise for the primary time since 2022 following maternity go away.
WTA Top 50 Americans to look out for within the desert will embrace former US Open finalist Madison Keys, 2021 NCAA champion and rising star Emma Navarro, 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens, and 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin. 22-year-old Amanda Anisimova – who reached the fourth spherical in Melbourne in her return to Tour after seven months away from the sport – may also be a participant to observe.
2023 BNP Paribas Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe, 2023 Australian Open semifinalist Tommy Paul and 2023 US Open semifinalist Ben Shelton will probably be eyeing breakout moments of their very own, whereas No. 33 Christopher Eubanks, No. 34 Sebastian Korda and No. 48 Mackenzie McDonald spherical out the Top 50 for the American males within the desert.
The remaining spots within the 2024 BNP Paribas Open attracts will probably be stuffed by the winners of the Qualifying Tournament from March 3-5 in addition to wild card recipients to be introduced within the coming weeks.
Photo credit score: Dan Huerlimann/Beelde Images
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