Tennis is back in the desert! The BNP Paribas Open, also known as Indian Wells Masters, will finally return after the cancellation of the 2020 edition. As always, the tournament is one of the most coveted in tennis, often referred to as the fifth major, and this year, despite the change of date, is no different.
The joint ATP-WTA event won’t have the “Big Three”or Serena Williams in the lineup, but, if there’s still a doubt about it, it will show that tennis belongs to the new generation. The excitement to see the new US Open champions Emma Raducanu and Daniil Medvedev is a big one, and everyone wants to know how far they will go.
As every year, 256 players (96 in both women’s and men’s singles draw, 32 in doubles each) will try to prevail at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, which is situated near Palm Springs in California. Here, check out the dates and how to watch the tournament in the US.
When does Indian Wells 2021 take place?
Usually Indian Wells take place in March, in the middle of the season between Australian Open and Roland Garros. This year the hard-court tournament was initially scheduled for March 10-21 but it was rescheduled due to Covid-19.
It will now run from October 4–17. It will be a full two-week tournament with qualifying starting on October 4. Meanwhile, the women’s main draw kicks off on October 6 with the men’s main draw matches starting a day later.
How to watch Indian Wells 2021 in the US
Indian Wells 2021, all the women’s, men’s and double’s games, will be broadcast in the United States by Tennis Channel exclusively, for the first time in the tournament’s history. It also can be streamed in the digital subscription service, Tennis Channel Plus.