
The BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells kicks off this week, with several top stars in action as they compete to determine who takes home the illustrious WTA 1000 trophy.
With World No.1 Ashleigh Barty withdrawing from the event, reigning French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova is the top seed and she is slated to face last year's Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Pliskova in the quarterfinals.
World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka is the second seed, and the Belarusian could face the always-dangerous Maria Sakkari, should the Greek star make it to the final 8.
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2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek is the third seed, and an enticing encounter against two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza is possible should both ladies make it to the quarterfinals.
Defending champion Paula Badosa has the opportunity to repeat this year, and standing in her way in the quarterfinals is the in-form Anett Kontaveit, who just made the finals in Doha.
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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- Mirra's very funny words have been in my head since yesterday. "If I win the car I have 5 people in my box that can drive me around. I will forever be a passenger princess. I have a plan..." And I will never forget how she had me rolling on the floor laughing when asked how she beat Jess Pegula so handily: "I don't know what happened; It must have been the Diva in me". CLASSIC STUFF !
mandoist15-11-2026 - Can whomever has a microphone in the Final... PLEASE STOP YAMMERING ABOUT YOURSELVES NONSTOP THROUGHOUT THE MATCH???? Get a grip and STFU once in awhile so we can 'hear' the actual play on court.
mandoist15-11-2026 - Martina is one of the most competent, knowledgeable, and 99.999% correct in her analysis. Most of all -- WHILE A COMMENTATOR IN MATCHES SHE KNOWS WHEN NOT TO TALK AND DISTRACT FROM THE ACTION !!! Someone please pass that idea on to Austin, Shriver, and whoever else has been f-ing YAPPING throughout the play. How thoughtless and elitist can these people be squawking nonstop throughout an entire game about themselves. STFU, please (I said "please"). Let us 'hear' the game play on court.
mandoist15-11-2026 - Tennis "fans" have short memories. This is exactly who Saba always was... granted she found a 'new' persona when she began winning matches and tourneys. Off-court she's always been a racist potty-mouth. Her meanness also shines through when she thinks no one else is around. In short, the "person" you've witnessed in post-match on-court interviews is NOT who she is. As for her familiar "apologies, she can stick that routine in her racquet bags because I never believed her words nor phony "respect" for her opponents -- and I ain't buying that now.
mandoist15-11-2026 - Was Saba not paying attention to those who sought an inordinate amount of attention outside of their sport (occupation)... and to the point they lost their focus and eventually their place in tennis? For example: Giorgi, Bouchard, Raducanu, etc. They became infatuated with endless Selfies, videos, podcasts, TV commercials, magazine shoots, and so on. Thus their tennis suffered. Priorities are important.
mandoist14-11-2026 - I, like writer of this wonderful article, also picked Noskova to win this entire thing. I would love it if she and Andreeva are in the final.Rapunzel12-11-2026
- "Priorities", Saba... spend less time in front of cameras, anti-Social Media, selfies and back to Tennis.
mandoist12-11-2026 - Tell this to Andreeva!
mandoist12-11-2026 - Andreeva with 11 games in a row to add to Saba's downward spiral issue !!! Personal feelings aside... Jess Pegula may want to reassess her evaluation of Mirra's abilities.
mandoist12-11-2026 - I predicted whenthe list was finalised that Linda Noskova would win the WTA Finals and her matches against Gauff and Kostyuk prove that. She is the best (underrated) player in the world!Rapunzel11-11-2026








