Top five moments for Indian players at Indian Wells Open

Published at :April 3, 2024 at 1:32 PM

Modified at :April 3, 2024 at 1:32 PM

(Courtesy : Hindustan Times)

Sania Mirza and Leander Paes make it to the list multiple times

The Indian Wells Open, often dubbed the “fifth slam”, is part of the Sunshine Double in the United States. The moniker “fifth slam” emerged as the ATP 1000 event attracts the largest crowds outside the four Grand Slams, fostering a party-like atmosphere. It has also earned the nickname “Tennis Paradise.”

The BNP Paribas Open was first held in 1976 as a men-only event and adopted a mixed-gender format in 1989.

Over the years, Indian players, both men and women, have participated in the Indian Wells Open, primarily in the doubles segment of the event. Players have partnered with other Indian players and players of various nationalities and has various inspiring and lasting moments from the tournament.

Here are the five noteworthy moments related to the Indian contingent at the Indian Wells Open:

Leander Paes/Martin Damm – Winners at Indian Wells in 2007

Calcutta-born Leander Paes was a mainstay for India in Davis Cup matches. He also performed well on the ATP Tour, enjoying successful runs at Grand Slams and Masters 1000 events. During his playing days, Paes won ATP 1000 titles at eight of the nine tournaments, narrowly missing out on a victory in Madrid.

He reached the final in 2005 with Serbia’s Nenad Zimonjić. Paes triumphed at thirteen ATP Masters 1000 events and was the runner-up at five.

Leander Paes and Martin Damm defeated the Israeli duo of Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, to claim the men’s doubles title at what was then known as the Pacific Life Open. It was their second ATP title of the season following their win in Rotterdam and was the second of three consecutive finals played by the Indo-Czech pair—the third being the ATP Masters in Miami.

They overcame the second-seeded Israelis Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, and claimed the doubles crown at Indian Wells in California.

Sania Mirza/Elena Vesnina – Winners at Indian Wells in 2011

Sania Mirza, a self-professed fan of German tennis legend Steffi Graf, is a trailblazer in Indian tennis. The Hyderabad-born player became the first Indian woman to win a singles WTA title in her hometown and the first to lift a Grand Slam trophy at Wimbledon in 2015. In April 2015, Mirza also became the first Indian woman to claim the World No. 1 ranking in either singles or doubles, holding the position for 90 consecutive weeks.

Mirza’s first title at Indian Wells was secured alongside Elena Vesnina in 2011. The duo convincingly overcame the all-American pair of Meghann Shaughnessy and Bethanie Mattek-Sands with a 6-0, 7-5 victory. Although Mirza and Vesnina reached the final at Indian Wells again in 2012, they were defeated by Lisa Raymond and Liezel Huber.

Sania Mirza/Martina Hingis – Winners at Indian Wells in 2015

Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis emerged as winners at Indian Wells in 2015. During that season, Mirza teamed up with the Swiss Miss, Martina Hingis. They faced Mirza’s former partner, Elena Vesnina, and her fellow Russian player, Ekaterina Makarova. Mirza and Hingis secured a convincing victory against the Russian pair, winning 6–3, 6–4.

Mirza triumphed in five of the eleven WTA 1000 events she participated in. Alongside Hingis, she also claimed three Grand Slam titles: Wimbledon and the US Open in 2015, and the Australian Open in 2016.

Mahesh Bhupathi – Semifinals with Paes in 1999 and Max Mirnyi in 2004

Mahesh Bhupathi, who has 16 ATP 1000 trophies to his name, has never clinched a title at Indian Wells. He reached the semi-final stage twice, once with Leander Paes in 1999 and then with Max Mirnyi in 2004. In 1999, Bhupathi and Paes were defeated by Ellis Ferreira and Rick Leach, with scores of 3-6, 2-6. Bhupathi’s second attempt in 2004, alongside Mirnyi, ended in a loss to Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett, with set scores of 4-6, 4-6.

Bhupathi secured seven Masters titles with his long-term partner, Leander Paes. He achieved five Masters victories with Max Mirnyi and the rest with various partners. Bhupathi was the runner-up in thirteen Masters titles out of the twenty-nine he competed in.

Rohan Bopanna/Matthew Ebden – Winners at Indian Wells in 2023

Rohan Bopanna, alongside Matthew Ebden, won at Indian Wells in 2023. Bopanna, the oldest World No. 1 in the Open Era at 43, also became the oldest man to win at Indian Wells. The Indo-Australian pair defeated the top seeds, Wesley Koolhof and Neil Skupski, in a three-set match with scores of 6-3, 2-6, 10-8.

Since the beginning of 2023, Bopanna and Ebden have formed a solid partnership. Their victory at Indian Wells marked their first as a doubles team. They also reached the finals in Madrid, Shanghai, and Paris, though they faced defeats in each.

Bopanna has competed in 12 ATP Masters Finals, winning five. He won the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris twice, first in 2011 with Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi and again in 2012 with Mahesh Bhupathi. His other ATP 1000 victories include Madrid (2015) and Monte-Carlo (2017).

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