A record-breaking crowd flocked to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden this year, as 504,268 fans immersed themselves in two electrifying weeks of “Tennis Paradise” at the BNP Paribas Open. Surpassing last year’s record of 493,440, the tournament once again proved why it’s a can’t-miss event in the Coachella Valley. From March 2 to March 16, the world’s best players battled across Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, Mixed Doubles, and Boys’ and Girls’ Singles and Doubles, delivering nonstop action despite unpredictable weather challenges. Rain and wind may have tested their resolve, but nothing could dampen the pursuit of glory.

Men’s Singles Draw

Southern California made a powerful statement in the Men’s Singles main draw, with three local stars charging into the round of 16! Leading the way was 2022 champion Taylor Fritz (Rancho Santa Fe), joined by San Diego’s Brandon Nakashima and Thousand Oaks native Marcos Giron (UCLA).

As the No. 3 seed, Fritz capitalized on his bye, making an immediate statement in his comeback from an abdominal injury. He stormed past Matteo Gigante in the second round with a commanding 6-3, 7-5 victory. Despite being broken when serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set, Fritz quickly recovered and regained his composure to seal the win.

The Californian competitor was eager to perform well in his home tournament, but he acknowledged that his injury had hindered his preparation. “I didn’t want to come out expecting too much,” said last year’s US Open finalist. “I told myself I had to not be too hard on myself. I had my first hit after taking a week off, on Tuesday. Not ideal prep, but I wasn’t going to forget how to play. I played pretty solid.”

The real drama unfolded in his third-round match against No. 30 seed Alejandro Tabilo. Fritz found himself in trouble early, dropping the first set and falling behind in the second. But SoCal toughness runs deep—he flipped the script with a clutch comeback, taking the second set and then steamrolling through the third to seal a gutsy 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win!

“I have a lot of confidence playing here,” Fritz said. “I want to have a good result playing here, but I always come here feeling like I am going to play good tennis.”

Propelling into the round of 16, Fritz took on Jack Draper, who many would come to find out would be playing the best tennis of his life. In a tight contest, Fritz could never seem to gain the momentum he so desperately needed, and dropped the match to the eventual 2025 Men’s Singles champion, 7-5, 6-4.

Also receiving a bye, Brandon Nakashima (No. 32 seed) kicked off his tournament run against Rinky Hijikata, battling through a tightly contested first set before finding his groove. He edged out the Australian 7-5 before taking full control in the second for a 7-5, 6-1 victory. Keeping his momentum rolling, Nakashima faced Matteo Arnaldi in the next round and delivered another strong performance, winning 6-2, 6-4 to secure his first-ever trip to the round of 16.

There, he squared off in an all-American clash against No. 11 seed Ben Shelton. The opening set was a thriller, with both players trading blows in a high-intensity battle. Shelton ultimately gained the upper hand in a tiebreak, and despite Nakashima’s best efforts, he couldn’t turn the match around, falling 7-6(6)-7, 6-1.

Marcos Giron delivered one of the most thrilling and unexpected runs of the tournament, proving he was a force to be reckoned with in the desert. Unlike his fellow Southern Californians, Giron (unseeded) didn’t have the advantage of a bye, meaning he had to battle from the very start. He kicked off his campaign with a hard-fought victory over Nikoloz Basilashvili, showcasing his resilience in a tight 7-5, 7-6(3) win.

But his real statement came in his second-round match against No. 4 seed Casper Ruud—a daunting challenge on paper. Though Giron had beaten Ruud in the past, this was a whole new stage, and the odds weren’t in his favor. What followed was a spectacular showdown, with both players trading sets before Giron took control in the third. Finding his rhythm, he dominated the final stretch, sealing a 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-2 victory. Not only was it his first career win over a top-five player, but he achieved it in front of a roaring home crowd filled with friends and family. For the Thousand Oaks native, who grew up attending this very tournament and idolizing the legends who played on Stadium 1 and Stadium 2, it was a dream storybook moment come to life.

“To actually go out there and play, and to beat a top-five player here, is really amazing,” Giron reflected.

Fuelled by his incredible performance and riding the momentum, Giron was hungry for more. He faced the No. 26 seed Alexei Popyrin in another grueling three-set battle. Despite dropping the first set, Giron dug deep, overpowering his opponent 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the round of 16—his best-ever showing at the BNP Paribas Open, surpassing his previous third-round finish in 2019. At 31 years and 228 days old, Marcos became the oldest American to reach a maiden men’s singles round of 16 at the Indian Wells Open since Marty Riessen did in 1980 at 38 years and 71 days old.

“Going into this match, [Popyrin] and I have played twice before. I’ve beat him once, but then he beat me last time, so I knew that it was going to be a war. I beat Ruud which was an amazing win, but that doesn’t mean anything as Popyrin sees me and sees opportunity. I’m really happy with how I was able to handle the moment.” 

Though his incredible run ended in the next round with a hard-fought 2-6, 6-2, 3-6 loss to No. 20 seed Arthur Fils, Giron left it all on the court, cementing his status as a hometown hero with an unforgettable performance.

With Taylor Fritz, Brandon Nakashima, Marcos Giron, Tommy Paul, and Ben Shelton all making it to the round of 16 at Indian Wells, it marked the first time in 21 years that five American men had made it that far in the tournament! The last time this happened was back in 2004, when legends like Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, James Blake, Mardy Fish, and Taylor Dent ruled the scene. And here’s the kicker—three of those five Americans were from Southern California, proving that Team SoCal was unstoppable and that American tennis was back at the top!

After receiving a round 1 bye, Alex Michelsen (Aliso Viejo) opened his tournament against rising American star Colton Smith, last summer’s SoCal Pro Series finalist at the Jack Kramer Club. Michelsen delivered a strong performance, securing a 6-3, 6-4 victory. His next challenge was set to be a highly anticipated round 3 clash with No. 5 seed Daniil Medvedev. Unfortunately, the match was cut short—after just ten minutes of play and trailing 2-0, Michelsen was forced to retire due to illness.

Entering the main draw as a wild card, Tristan Boyer (Altadena) made the most of his opportunity. In his BNP Paribas Open main draw debut, Boyer secured his first Masters 1000 win as he triumphed over Aleksandar Vukic 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4). 

“Getting my first ATP win here is amazing,” shared Boyer. “I’ve been coming to this tournament since I was a kid and I have pictures here when I was three or four years old, so it feels like my home tournament. I have a bunch of family and friends here, so it’s awesome.” 

Boyer’s tournament run came to an end in the second round, where he was ousted by American Tommy Paul (No. 10 seed) 6-3, 6-1.

Also entering as a wild card, Mackenzie McDonald (UCLA) faced Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in a hard-fought battle. After losing in their first three meetings, McDonald finally picked up his first win against Fokina, claiming a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory. McDonald then faced Francisco Cerundolo (No. 25 seed) in the second round. After taking the first set and leading in the second, McDonald looked poised to pull off the upset. However, Cerundolo proved too strong, coming back to win both the second and third sets, and ultimately the match, 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-1.

Riding a career-high ranking after a series of upsets and a breakthrough year, Learner Tien (Irvine) entered Indian Wells as a hometown favorite. In his round 1 matchup against Mariano Navone, weather would not be on the young phenom’s side, as rain would interrupt his match in the second set, postponing the match until the following morning. After dropping the first set, Tien appeared to be making a comeback, leading as the delay occurred. However, once play resumed the following day, the momentum shifted back in Navone’s favor, and Tien was defeated 7-5, 6-4.

Women’s Singles Main Draw

The same tournament that saw a 17-year-old win her first BNP Paribas Open title also witnessed another rising 17-year-old phenom claim her first BNP Paribas Open main draw victory. Entering as a wild card, Iva Jovic (Torrance) became the youngest player with direct entry into the women’s draw. Following her impressive performances as of late, including earning a coveted wild card to the 2024 US Open, where she made history as the youngest American woman to win a US Open main draw match since 2000, as well as reaching the second round of the Australian Open, Jovic was ready for her debut in “Tennis Paradise.” 

In her opening match, Jovic faced Julia Grabher. After dropping the first set, Jovic stayed resilient and rallied to claim the second set, before dominating the third set to win 2-6, 7-5, 6-0. This victory set up a matchup against Jasmine Paolini (No. 6 seed), one of her toughest opponents to date. Although Jovic ultimately lost in a hard-fought three-set classic, she impressed with her performance on such a grand stage. The match was a back-and-forth battle, but Jovic fell short, dropping the match 7-6(3), 1-6, 6-3.

Mayar Sherif (Pepperdine), aiming to reach round 2 for just the second time in her career at Indian Wells, entered with high hopes. However, in a tough Round 1 matchup against Wang Xiyu, Sherif was toppled 6-4, 7-5.

Claire Liu (Thousand Oaks), who made the main draw after advancing through Qualifying, began her run with victories over Yuliia Starodubtseva 7-5, 7-6(2) and Viktoria Kuzmova 6-3, 6-4. However, Liu’s momentum came to a halt in round 1, where she was edged out by Polina Kudermetova 6-4, 6-2.

Men’s Doubles Main Draw

Highlighting the Doubles Draw on the Men’s side was none other than the pairing of Ryan Seggerman (Coronado) and Patrik Trhac (Rancho Bernardo). After a remarkable 2023 season that saw them earn a main draw wild card at the 2024 BNP Paribas Open and secure their first-ever win at the event in an upset, expectations were high. On the morning of what would be their scheduled match, they were listed as the fourth alternates, with their participation contingent on a series of favorable developments. However, while practicing that afternoon, they received the news that they had moved up to first alternates. Less than an hour later, they were officially inserted into the Doubles Draw and set to play in just over an hour’s time. In a whirlwind turn of events, Seggerman and Trhac not only took the court but pulled off an impressive upset, upsetting Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev by a score of 6-2, 6(4)-7, 10-7. Although they fell to Matteo Berrettini and Lorenzo Sonego 6-3, 6-2 in their next match, the San Diego duo left a lasting impression on their home turf.

Women’s Doubles Main Draw

On the Women’s side, Desirae Krawczyk (Rancho Mirage), Giuliana Olmos (USC), Ena Shibahara (Rancho Palos Verdes), and Luisa Stefani (Pepperdine) represented SoCal. Krawczyk, competing alongside fellow American Danielle Collins, took on the pairing of No. 4 seed Jelena Ostapenko and Ellen Perez. Unable to advance through the first round, the Americans dropped the match by a score of 6-1, 7-6(5). 

For Olmos, her and partner Ulrikke Eikeri had the tall task of taking on the No. 1 seeded duo of Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend in round 1. In a back-and-forth three set battle, Olmos and Eikeri could not prevail, losing by a final of 6-2, 4-6, 10-7. 

Playing alongside Alexandra Panova, Shibahara entered round 1 set to face the No. 8 seeded team of Sofia Kenin and Lyudmyla Kichenok. After trading the first two sets, Shibahara and Panova dropped the ten-point tiebreak, falling in a final of 3-6, 6-1, 10-7. 

Teaming with Leylah Fernandez, Stefani drew the No. 2 seed of the draw in the form of Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe to kick off play. Exchanging points and the first two sets, Stefani and Fernandez were unable to halt their opposition’s comeback, being defeated in a final of 5-7, 6-3, 10-1. 

Mixed Doubles Main Draw

The sole representative of the Mixed Doubles main draw, Krawczyk teamed up with Neal Skupski where they would enter as the No.4 seed and receive a round 1 bye. In their quarterfinals match, the duo was strong, taking down Carson Branstine and Nikola Mektic by a score of 6-3, 7-5. Reaching the semifinals, the pairing could not overcome the top seed and eventual champions, losing to Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori 7-6(3), 6-3. 

FILA International Junior Championships

Southern California swept the Junior titles, with players claiming gold in all four events in the desert. SoCal players were part of both winning Doubles teams and also dominated in the Singles draws.

BOYS’ SINGLES

For the second consecutive year, a SoCal player claimed the Boys’ Singles title, with Jagger Leach (Orange County) emerging as the champion. Last year’s winner, Rudy Quan (Thousand Oaks), was followed by Leach, who entered as the No. 1 seed. The son of SoCal legend Lindsay Davenport, he showed impressive form, never dropping a set throughout the tournament. With a round 1 bye, Leach first took on Mason Taube, where he was victorious by a score of 6-0, 6-2. He then followed that up with another win in the round of 16 over Matisse Farzam (No. 15 seed) 6-4, 7-6(5), and then again in the quarterfinals over Ronit Karki (No. 10 seed) 6-4, 6-2. In the semifinals, Leach toppled Noah Johnston (No. 4 seed) 5-2 (ret.), advancing him to the finals against Jack Kennedy (No. 2 seed). Here, Leach solidified his championship with a 7-5, 6-2 victory. 

Keaton Hance (Torrance), the No. 3 seed, also had a strong run. After a round 1 bye, Hance defeated Ford McCollum 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in round 2. He then won again in the round of 16, beating Sebastian Eie 6-3, 7-6(5), and advanced through the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 victory over Jack Satterfield (No. 7 seed). Hance’s run ended in the semifinals, where he was defeated by eventual runner-up Jack Kennedy (No. 2 seed) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.

BOYS’ DOUBLES

In Boys’ Doubles, Leach found more success, completing the sweep as he took home his second championship of the week, this time alongside Noah Johnston. The No. 2 seed, Leach and Johnston first bested No. 6 seed Cruz Hewitt and Jacob Olar 7-6(5), 6-4. They would follow this up with a semifinals victory over No. 7 seed Simon Caldwell and Gavin Goode 7-5, 6-2. In the finals, they finished off their run with a win over No. 8 seed Andrew Johnson and Nischal Spurling 6-3, 6-2, securing their title. 

A part of the No. 1 seeded team entering the tournament, Hance and partner Jack Kennedy were upset in round 1, dropping their match to No. 5 seeded Ryan Cozad and Matisse Farzam 6-2, 4-6, 11-9. 

GIRLS’ SINGLES

The No. 5 seed of the tournament, Julieta Pareja (Carlsbad) claimed the championship in Girls’ Singles following an impressive run. Receiving a round 1 bye, Pareja first defeated Welles Newman in round 2 by a score of 6-4, 6-3. She then followed this up with consecutive victories over Ireland O’Brien 6-3, 6-0 and Nancy Lee (No. 13 seed) 6-2, 6-4. In the semifinals, Pareja remained perfect, taking down Adla Lopez by a final of 6-3, 6-3. Facing off with Alexis Nguyen in the finals, she completed her undefeated week without dropping a set, winning 6-1, 6-2.

Also competing was Thea Frodin (Woodland Hills), the No. 3 seed. After a round 1 bye, Frodin defeated Charlize Celebrini 6-3, 6-4, but was then defeated by Maggie Sohns 6-3, 6-2 in the round of 16.

GIRLS’ DOUBLES

Finding success in Girls’ Doubles, Frodin bounced back, taking home the title alongside Leena Friedman. The No. 2 seed of the tournament, the girls defeated An Lee and Nicole Weng 6-3, 6-0 in the round of 16, following their round 1 bye. Advancing to the quarterfinals, Frodin and Friedman took down Kennedy Drenser-Hagmann and Karlin Schock 6-2, 7-5. The pairing then followed this up in the semifinals with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over No. 6 seeded duo Nancy Lee and Welles Newman. In the finals, Frodin and Friedman ended their run with a championship clinching win over Maria Aytoyan and Sabrina Lin 6-1, 7-6(9). With this win, Frodin helped SoCal win the Girls’ Doubles championship in back-to-back years, following Alyssa Ahn (San Diego) and Bianca Molnar (Ladera Ranch) who did so in 2024. 

Pareja also competed in Girls’ Doubles, partnering with Maya Iyengar as the No. 1 seeds. They received a round 1 bye, but were eliminated in their first match by eventual finalists Maria Aytoyan and Sabrina Lin 6-3, 6(1)-7, 10-4.