What is Eisenhower Cup? All you need to know about exhibition tennis tournament

The Eisenhower Cup is an 8-team mixed doubles event.

Like every year, the Indian Wells Open 2025, a key ATP and WTA 1000 event, will kickstart with the Eisenhower Cup. The exciting and fun-filled exhibition event will witness a showdown between some of the best singles players competing as mixed doubles teams for lucrative prize money.

Each year, this premier event attracts top players to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The mixed doubles competition provides a platform for showcasing talent and forging dynamic partnerships on the global stage.

The Eisenhower Cup debuted in 2018 and has blossomed into a fan-favorite Indian Wells tradition. In 2023, Aryna Sabalenka, alongside Taylor Fritz, triumphed. Ben Shelton and Emma Navarro will enter the tournament in 2025 as the defending champions.

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The 2025 Eisenhower Cup started with a huge blow: top seed Aryna Sabalenka opting out. However, the tournament organisers swiftly roped in 2022 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina, who will compete alongside Fritz. World Number Two Iga Swiatek headlines the player field, while recently crowned Australian Open champion Madison Keys is set to feature in the event.

When & where will the Eisenhower Cup 2025 take place?

The Eisenhower Cup 2025 will take place on March 4 (Tuesday) in Stadium 2 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The event tentatively begins at 8:30 AM IST.

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Which teams will constitute the Eisenhower Cup 2025?

• 2023 BNP Paribas Open Champion Elena Rybakina & 2022 BNP Paribas Open Champion Taylor Fritz
• Australian Open 2025 Champion Madison Keys, & World No. #9 Tommy Paul
• Two-Time BNP Paribas Open Finalist Maria Sakkari & World No. #5 Casper Ruud
• 2024 Eisenhower Cup Champions Emma Navarro & Ben Shelton
• 2021 BNP Paribas Open Champion Paula Badosa & World No. #11 Stefanos Tsitsipas
• World No. #25 Katie Boulter & World No. #8 Alex de Minaur
• Two-time BNP Paribas Open Champion Iga Swiatek & World No. #20 Hubert Hurkacz
• World No. #4 Jasmine Paolini & World No. #17 Lorenzo Musetti

What is the tournament format?

The event showcases the high-energy Tie Break Tens format, where players compete in first-to-ten-point tiebreak matches within an eight-team, single-elimination draw, featuring seven matches throughout the night.

What is the prize money?

With a massive prize pool of $200,000, players are bound to bring their A-game. The attractive reward will motivate them to perform their best on the court.

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How different is it from usual ATP/Grand Slam tournaments?

The Eisenhower Cup 2025 is an exhibition event, unlike ATP or Grand Slam tournaments, as it offers no ranking points and focuses on entertainment.

Players who missed out on the Eisenhower Cup

The tournament received a massive blow when World Number One Aryna Sabalenka pulled out of the event. However, with former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina set to take Belarus’ place, there will certainly be no shortage of talent at the event.

Previous edition of the event

The all-American duo of Ben Shelton and Emma Navarro triumphed in 2024, beating Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa in the final. The 2023 edition witnessed Aryna Sabalenka and Taylor Fritz emerge victorious over the Polish pairing of Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz.

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