By Crystal Harrell
When October comes to the Coachella Valley, that usually just means slightly cooler temperatures, but this year, the first-ever Fall Edition of the BNP Paribas Open will be held on October 4th through the 17th. After being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020,
the largest combined ATP Tour Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tennis event in the world will return to Indian Wells for an iconic event.
After a two-and-a-half-year hiatus, the world’s top ATP and WTA Tour players will once again descend on Tennis Paradise in hopes of capturing the prestigious Baccarat trophy, with $15.3 million in available prize money. The BNP Paribas Open will feature 96-player singles draws, 32-player singles qualifying draws, and 32-team doubles draws.
The BNP Paribas Open will feature 16 of the Top 20 players in the FedEx ATP Rankings, led by Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev and Matteo Berrettini.
“The BNP Paribas Open in October is going to be a can’t-miss occasion. We know that our fans have been eagerly awaiting our return, and we are looking forward to delivering an unforgettable event that celebrates the unique Tennis Paradise experience,” said Tournament Director Tommy Haas.
With health and safety as the tournament’s top priority, the BNP Paribas Open will require all fans, staff, sponsors, media, and vendors to show valid proof of full vaccination in order to enter the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for the tournament. Additional testing as well as mask mandates in certain seating areas may be required by the Riverside County health department and the state of California. The guidelines for the players are governed by the protocols established by their respective governing bodies, the WTA and ATP Tours.
For the first time in the tournament’s history, the BNP Paribas Open will be broadcast exclusively within the United States courtesy of Tennis Channel, with first-ball to last-ball coverage across Tennis Channel and digital subscription service Tennis Channel Plus.
The Tennis Channel will began its broadcast on October 6 with a full day of coverage of the WTA Tour main draw first round and ATP Tour qualifying action. Live coverage of the BNP Paribas Open will continue through Sunday, October 17, with men’s and women’s singles final action.
In addition, the popular “Tennis Channel Live at the BNP Paribas Open” will be broadcast daily from a studio on-site at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, beginning Wednesday, October 6 and continuing through the last day of play, for a full 60 minutes of commentary and analysis prior to live tennis coverage. WTA Tour qualifying rounds, which took place on Monday, October 4 and Tuesday, October 5, will be available on the Tennis Channel Plus as well.
Tennis Channel broadcast talent for the BNP Paribas Open will include Steve Weissman, Martina Navratilova, Genie Bouchard, Brett Haber, Chanda Rubin, James Blake, Pam Shriver, Paul Annacone, Jim Courier, Lindsay Davenport, Prakash Amritraj, and Jason Goodall.
Live streaming of all main draw singles matches are available via the Official 2021 BNP Paribas Open mobile app to fans on-site at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, as well as via the ATP Tour, WTA Tour, and Tennis Channel Plus.
Ticket packages are available for attendees to select from a variety of seating options, ranging from premium, reserved seats in Stadiums 1, 2 or 3 to a simple Grounds Pass. For more information, visit https://bnpparibasopen.com.
