From Grand Slam champions to future stars: Indian Wells wildcards announced featuring Fonseca, Bencic and Opelka

The Indian Wells wildcards for both the men’s and women’s draws have been finalized, led by former Grand Slam champion Petra Kvitova and Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic. On the men’s side, young stars Joao Fonseca and Learner Tien are among the players who secured an invitation.

The tournament, set to take place from March 16 to 30, recently corrected the failed invitation to Venus Williams, which had been officially announced but was later publicly denied by the American, who stated that she had no plans to participate. Nonetheless, exciting names have been added to the draw.

Petra Kvitova returned this week at the ATX Open after 17 months of absence. The Czech tennis player received a wildcard in Austin and faced Jodie Burrage in the first round, but was defeated 6-3, 4-6, 4-6. Kvitova holds an 18-12 (60%) record at Indian Wells, with quarterfinal runs in 2013, 2016, and 2023.

The two-time Grand Slam champion is back after a maternity break and, at 34 years old, hopes to return to top-level competition. Despite the loss, Kvitova appeared focused and in good form, though still lacking rhythm. The Czech's level of play remains uncertain, but she will surely be a player to avoid for any seeded player in the draw.

Joao Fonseca initially did not qualify for the main draw, sitting among the alternates with an entry ranking of No. 99. However, the 18-year-old Brazilian secured a wildcard to make his Masters 1000 debut, fresh off winning his first ATP title at the Argentina Open, where he defeated local hope Francisco Cerúndolo in the final.

Fonseca continues his rapid rise on the ATP Tour, recently reaching a career-high ranking of No. 68. He is undoubtedly a player to watch in Indian Wells and will be a dangerous first-round opponent for any seeded player.

The world No. 58 has made remarkable strides in her comeback, quickly climbing the rankings despite starting the year outside the top 400. The Tokyo 2020 gold medalist has posted an impressive 11-2 record this season and won her first title as a mother at the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi Open, defeating top opponents like Marketa Vondrousova and Elena Rybakina along the way.

Bencic did not make the cut based on ranking at the time of the entry list, so she required a wildcard to enter the tournament. A well-earned invitation for one of the standout players of the season, currently sitting 11th in the 2024 Race.

While Fonseca has quickly adapted to the Tour, Learner Tien has been following closely behind, proving he can compete at the highest level. The 19-year-old American made headlines at the Australian Open by qualifying for the main draw and reaching the fourth round, where he shocked three-time finalist and fifth seed Daniil Medvedev.

Major was the surprise of the week at the Mexican Open when he scored the best win of his career by beating world No. 2 Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-4, but lost in the semi-finals to Tomas Machac.

Tien has already claimed several ATP wins and was the runner-up at the Next Gen ATP Finals, where he lost to Fonseca in the final. He now receives his first Masters 1000 main draw wildcard, shortly after achieving a career-high ranking of No. 68.

The former US Open champion is likely experiencing the lowest point of her career since her early days on Tour, and competing in front of her home crowd could provide the boost she needs to start winning again.

She is currently on a 10-match losing streak, with a dismal 4-17 record since her last WTA 250 title in Rouen in April 2024. Her most recent victory came in the first round of Wimbledon 2024 against Elsa Jacquemot. When counting sets, she has won only 2 out of her last 22 played.

Following knee surgery, Opelka has made a strong return to the Tour, showing competitiveness from the start of the season. The American reached the final of the Brisbane International—eliminating Novak Djokovic along the way—but an injury forced him to retire during the final against Jiri Lehecka (1-4, ret.).

Despite his current ranking of No. 138 not reflecting his true level, Opelka has already secured several wins since his comeback. The wildcard presents a significant opportunity for him, as a deep run at a Masters 1000 event could propel him back into the top 100.

On the men’s side, the final wildcard spots have been awarded to promising young talents. Nineteen-year-old Nishesh Basavareddy looks to take another step forward on the Tour after a solid showing at the Next Gen ATP Finals. He reached his first ATP semifinal at the ASB Classic, where he also claimed his best career win over top-25 player Alejandro Tabilo. Two wekks later, Basavareddy put up a strong fight against Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open, even taking a set off the 10-time champion.

Joining him is world No. 113 Tristan Boyer, a local player who just missed out on direct entry into the main draw and was initially set to compete in qualifying.

On the women’s side, several American players received wildcards. Robin Montgomery (No. 106), Alycia Parks (No. 61), Bernarda Pera (No. 78), and Iva Jovic (No. 157) were among the beneficiaries.

Perhaps the least known name on the list is Jovic, a rising star who, at just 17 years old, has already secured wins in major tournaments and was crowned junior doubles champion at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2024.