The yearly pre Indian Wells warm-up known as the Eisenhower Cup took place during the early hours of Wednesday morning with American duo, Ben Shelton and Emma Navarro upsetting the odds to scoop the Tie-Break Tens title.
Upsetting the odds by defeating the tennis power couple, Paula Badosa and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final. The Tie Break Tens is a short sharp exhibition format which sees it played the first to ten points or 11 if they are not separated in the lengthy tie-break format. Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina were due to play too, but Maria Sakkari and Sloane Stephens stepped up to replace them.
Zheng Qinwen and Frances Tiafoe lost to Badosa and Tsitsipas in the semi-finals, but prior to that, they took down Sloane Stephens and Tommy Paul. Shelton and Navarro also defeated the make shift team of Maria Sakkari and Andrey Rublev only narrowly 11-9.
A look into the future with Holger Rune and Caroline Wozniacki teaming with a potential Olympic alliance to come for that pairing and they saw off Taylor Fritz and Aryna Sabalenka. While Badosa and Tsitsipas defeated World Number One Iga Swiatek and fellow top Pole, Hubert Hurkacz 10-2.
Shelton and Navarro took down Wozniacki and Rune and they were joined by Tsitsidosa after they made light work of Qinwen Zheng and Frances Tiafoe. The former led 3-0 to begin the tie, however Tsitsipas and Badosa soon returned to make it 7-5. However it set up a thrilling conclusion as they were locked at 8-8. Shelton brought up championship point and drew errors both times from Badosa to seal it.
Results in full 2024 Eisenhower Cup
Quarter-Finals
Zheng Qinwen/Frances Tiafoe def. Sloane Stephens/Tommy Paul 10-8
Ben Shelton/Emma Navarro def. Maria Sakkari/Andrey Rublev 11-9
Caroline Wozniacki/Holger Rune def. Taylor Fritz/Aryna Sabalenka 10-7
Paula Badosa/Stefanos Tsitsipas def. Iga Swiatek/Hubert Hurkacz 10-2
Semi-Finals
Emma Navarro/Ben Shelton def. Caroline Wozniacki/Holger Rune 10-5
Paula Badosa/Stefanos Tsitsipas def. Zheng Qinwen/Frances Tiafoe 1`0-3
Final
Emma Navarro/Ben Shelton def. Paula Badosa/Stefanos Tsitsipas 10-8