Tennis has made its triumphant return to the desert, and you can witness the excitement live on Sky Sports Tennis during the year’s first combined WTA and ATP 1000 event, the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
Catch the thrilling men’s semi-finals on Saturday evening at 8:30 PM UK time, where Daniil Medvedev will face Holger Rune. Jack Draper will play against Carlos Alcaraz not before 10 PM, both matches broadcasted live on Sky Sports Tennis.
The highly anticipated men’s and women’s finals are scheduled for Sunday, March 16.
Which British Players Are Competing?
Jack Draper has advanced to the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time in his career after a formidable victory over American Ben Shelton, winning 6-4, 7-5 in the quarter-finals. The British star is set to face second seed Carlos Alcaraz in a historic Masters 1000 semi-final for a chance to play in the final.
Draper is the only British player remaining in the tournament, following the exit of lucky loser Sonay Kartal, who was defeated in straight sets by No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in her last-16 match.
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Both Draper and Kartal achieved impressive victories in round three, defeating Jenson Brooksby and Polina Kudermetova, respectively. Cameron Norrie and Katie Boulter also reached the third round but faced defeats against Tommy Paul and Elena Rybakina, respectively. Emma Raducanu and Jacob Fearnley were eliminated in the first round, with Raducanu — returning from a stalker incident in Dubai — losing to Moyuka Uchijima.
Early Exit for Djokovic at Indian Wells
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Novak Djokovic’s pursuit of a 100th singles title continues, as the five-time Indian Wells champion suffered a shocking defeat to Botic van de Zandschulp, losing 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 in the second round. Djokovic had sought to become the third man in history to reach this milestone, but faced challenges after retiring from the Australian Open semi-final in January due to a hamstring issue and losing in the opening round of the Qatar Open.
Is World No. 1 Sinner Participating, and Who Are the Defending Champions?
Jannik Sinner is currently banned until May 4.
Unfortunately, Jannik Sinner will not be competing at Indian Wells due to a three-month ban following a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency. Reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz looks to defend his title, having defeated Daniil Medvedev in the finals of the previous two editions. Iga Swiatek currently holds the title for the women’s competition, while Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1, alongside Australian Open champion Madison Keys, are on a mission to dethrone her.
World No. 3 Coco Gauff was also expected to challenge for the title but faced an unexpected exit in the round of 16 against wildcard Belinda Bencic.
Challenges of the Indian Wells and Miami Double
Former British No. 1 Laura Robson highlights the difficulties athletes face during the “sunshine double” of Indian Wells and Miami. “It’s quite challenging due to the drastically different conditions, even though both tournaments are played on hard courts,” she explains. “Transitioning from the cooler, slower conditions of Indian Wells to the hot and humid environment of Miami within a short span can be quite taxing on the players.”
Celebrity Spotting at Indian Wells
Expect a star-studded atmosphere during the tournament with A-list celebrities likely to attend, including Zendaya, Tom Holland, Charlize Theron, Yvonne Orji, Ben Stiller, and singer Gwen Stefani. Notably, Stiller became an unexpected star during the event in 2022 when he found himself in the midst of a humorous exchange involving Nick Kyrgios and a fan.
Catch the thrilling action of the ATP and WTA Tours, as well as the US Open in New York, live on Sky Sports in 2025. You can also stream the matches on NOW and through the Sky Sports app.
