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The Indian Wells Masters tennis tournament takes place in sunny California and is one of the biggest pro tour events of the year.
It’s known as one of the most popular tournaments to attend because it has all the best players in the world, but isn’t quite as overcrowded as the grand slams. You’ll find that many native Californians who love tennis attend this tournament each year. Here’s a guide to the Indian Wells Masters tennis tournament for true fans of tennis.
About the Indian Wells Tennis Tournament
The Indian Wells Masters is also referred to by its sponsored name, the BNP Paribas Open, or the Indian Wells Open. BNP Paribas is a French banking corporation. They acquired the naming rights in 2009.
The tournament event itself has been around since 1974. Indian Wells is the fourth city the event has taken place in, starting out with Tucson, Arizona, then Rancho Mirage and La Quinta, California, and finally where it is held today, since 1987.
The tournament is part of the men’s (ATP) Masters 1000 and the women’s (WTA) Premier Mandatory event.
Where is the Tournament?
The Indian Wells Masters takes place in Indian Wells, California in the United States at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
It’s the second-largest outdoor tennis stadium in the world after the US Open’s Arthur Ashe Stadium. Stadium 1 seats 16,100 tennis fans. The location is near the Palm Springs area in the Coachella Valley.
When is the Indian Wells Masters Tournament?
The 2024 Indian Wells Masters tournament took place March 4-17, 2024.
The Indian Wells Masters takes place each year in early and mid-March.
It is the first of two tournaments that the tennis media calls the “Sunshine Double.” The second tournament is the Miami Open which starts the following week.
Indian Wells is about one month before the start of the clay-court season with the Monte Carlo Masters.
Who are the Current Indian Wells Champions?
The current champions of the Indian Wells Masters from 2024 are the following:
- Men’s singles: Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
- Women’s singles: Iga Świątek (Poland)
- Men’s doubles: Nikola Mektić (Croatia) and Wesley Koolhof (Netherlands)
- Women’s doubles: Hsieh Su-wei (Taiwan) and Elise Mertens (Belgium)
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What Court Surface is the Indian Wells Tournament Played On?
The court surface of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden is a hard outdoor surface. It’s made of Plexipave which is acrylic, ITF-rated, and environmentally friendly.
Indian Wells Prize Money & Ranking Points
The total prize money for the 2024 Indian Wells Masters was $17.9 million dollars (USD).
The men’s (ATP) and the women’s (WTA) champions and runners-up received the same amount of money, in both singles and doubles.
- For singles, the winners in 2024 received $1,100,000 (USD), and the runner-ups won $585,000 (USD).
- For doubles, the winners in 2024 received $447,300 (USD), and the runner-ups won $236,800 (USD).
Here are the ranking points for the Indian Wells Masters:
| Men’s Singles & Doubles | Women’s Singles & Doubles | |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | 1000 | 1000 |
| Finals | 600 | 650 |
| Semifinals | 360 | 390 |
| Quarterfinals | 180 | 215 |
| Rd. of 16 | 90 | 120 |
| Rd. of 32 | 45 singles | no doubles | 65 singles | 10 doubles |
| Rd. of 64 | 25 singles | no doubles | 35 singles | no doubles |
How to Get Tickets to the Indian Wells Tennis Tournament
The Indian Wells Masters has tickets available via their official website.
The three stadiums at the tennis center are simply called Stadium 1, 2, and 3. They offer reserved seating in different tiers of expense at each of the stadiums, in packages of seats for multiple days.
- There are entire “series packages” for every day of the tournament.
- You can also buy “mini packages” – which are three days each.
- There is the option to purchase “single tickets” to different stadiums on the days that you want to go.
The ticket reseller Stubhub has open tickets available. You can sometimes get a really great deal on this website.
You can also check Viagogo and Vividseats for available tickets. You can easily see the day & times available, and a map of the stadium to pick seats.
How Do I See the Big Matches Like Djokovic, Nadal, or Swiatek?
To see the biggest matches, you are going to want to have tickets in reserved seats for Stadium 1. That’s the biggest of the three stadiums. The best and most famous players will be showcased in the finals at the grandest stadium.
Where to Stay in Indian Wells
There are many places to stay in California, but you are going to want to be in the Palm Springs area so that you are close to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. In doing so, you can avoid traffic as much as possible getting to and from the tennis center.
High-End Hotel Options
For high-end hotel options consider:
Both of these five-star resorts are two miles away from the tennis venue.
Budget-Friendly Options
For budget-friendly options, consider these options:
- The Homewood Suites – 1.7 miles away
- Indian Wells Resort Hotel – ½ mile away
- Homewood Suites by Hilton La Quinta – 1 mile away
Both are three-star properties that are clean and family-friendly.
Airbnb & VRBO
Airbnb and VRBO are also great options that many people use to rent out rooms in their homes or entire apartments for people that come to the Palm Springs area. This is also the home of the famous music festivals, Coachella and Stagecoach, so many people are used to renting through Airbnb and VRBO to out-of-towners coming to experience these events.
Search for flights, hotels, and car rentals in Indian Wells here:
Getting Around Indian Wells
Most of the hotels in the area will offer a complimentary shuttle to the Indian Wells Masters each day of the event. You can also take a taxi or Uber to get to the stadium. There is the option to rent a car which will help you get around the expansive territory of California much easier when you want to explore on your own.
If you are more into public transportation, you can take the public bus that goes around the city of Indian Wells. There is a drop-off station right by the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
How to Make Your Indian Wells Experience Great
The grounds of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden are enormous. Keep in mind that the entire facility is mostly outdoors. There are two 19,000 square foot coverings that will shade you a bit from the sun if you need a break.
There are three main stadiums which are numbered 1, 2, and 3. There are 20 other courts around the grounds as well. You can easily walk all over the complex to see matches from some of the top players in tennis from around the world.
When to Arrive at the Tournament
You want to get there early to enjoy everything the tournament has to offer. The gates open each day at 10 a.m. with lots of gorgeous greenery and scenery to look at. This is truly a glorious place that you aren’t going to want to miss as a tennis fan.
What to Bring with You
Indian Wells has a clear bag policy. During the day, it can be hot, so bring light clothes, sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses. However, the desert can get cold at night, so bring a jacket if you plan to stay for night matches.
You can bring an empty or sealed water bottle into the grounds, but no food or alcohol. They will have food and alcohol available inside for purchase. Make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes as well.
Learn more on the tournament website at bnpparibasopen.com.
What to Expect Inside
It’s a fun and festive atmosphere inside for true tennis lovers. There are lots of shops, three fine dining restaurants, and plenty of action to soak up on the practice tennis courts. There is a year-round tennis club located there where members and their guests can play some tennis themselves.
How to Watch the Indian Wells Tennis Tournament On TV
If you can’t make the event in person, you can watch it live on the Tennis Channel. Tennis Channel will cover the big matches, but you can stream the smaller stadiums on Tennis Channel Plus.
You can download the Tennis Channel app to stream it if you don’t have cable television.
Where can one get merchandise for this Indian wells tournament ?
Hi Idah, right now there’s no place online to order 2023 BNP branded gear. You can find some gear for resale on Ebay.
You might also reach out to Tennis Warehouse. They may plan to resale any extra gear not sold at the tournament. Not sure though.
HI Will – if you buy the mini pkg for the last 3 days on Court 1 how many matches will you see? Thanks Katie
Hi Katie, last year the women’s semifinals were on Friday, the women’s final & men’s semifinals were on Saturday, and the men’s final was on Sunday. There were also several doubles matches played.
That would give you 6 singles matches and probably 3-6 doubles matches if they keep the same schedule for next year. You also get access to Stadium 2 if they move a doubles match that you’d like to see there.
Hi Will – got great info in your guide to the Roland Garros & we.had a great time seeing 1st & 2nd round action! For Indian Wells, 1st & 2nd round, do grounds tickets sound reasonable? They include unreseved seating in stadia, but during the early hours on weekdays, are Grounds holders actually able to get into those seats or are they really full?
Hi Lee, for rounds 1 & 2, grounds tickets are definitely the way to go unless you really want to see a particular star like Iga or Alcaraz, who will be on Stadium 1. Grounds tickets get you access to every other court. The smaller stadiums are better in my opinion because you can sit much closer to the tennis 🙂
Looking ahead to 2025, when do tickets packages for Indian Wells go on sale? Is the BNP Paribas website the best way to secure the widest range of seating options?
Hi Vernon, tickets usually go on sale in the late fall or early winter. Yes, the tournament site is the best place to start.
Hi Will
I thought IW had a clear bag policy now and stopped you taking your own food and drinks? Have they reversed it this year and gone back to the old format?
Thanks
Steve
Hey Steve, yes there is a clear bag policy at Indian Wells. You can bring in an empty or sealed water bottle and no food is allowed. However, I did bring a few granola bars in my clear bag last year with no problems 😉
I’ve updated the guide. Thanks for pointing that out!
How easy is to get tickets in-situ Wednesday & Thursday of the first week?
Is it always full?
Hi Juan, getting tickets for Wednesday & Thursday of week 1 should be easy. If you want reserved tickets to Stadium 1 or 2, then you may want to buy in advance but there will be plenty of grounds passes.
Hi , I’m wondering about tournament dates
for 2025? Already looking at airbnbs in the area. If dates aren’t confirmed, when do you think it will be announced? Thx
Hi Ann, I don’t see the dates released yet but I’m 99% sure it will be March 3-16. I’d look for an Airbnb with some kind of free cancellation for the next few weeks. I think the dates should be announced next week.
Hi Will
Some great replies here. My buddy paid about 75 dollars for his seats at Court 1 on the Round 2 weekend. At short notice and the mercy of Stub Hub I paid about 400 dollars. Can you tell me exactly when the tickets go on sale? Reselling tickets is a whole industry and one that makes the game more exclusive. I really want to go back next year but I want to get tickets that are cheaper than the flight out there. 🙂
Hey David, 2024 was a record attendance year for Indian Wells so tickets were unusually tough to get. Sign up at the bottom of their homepage to get notifications about 2025 ticket sales. https://bnpparibasopen.com/
I believe ticket sales started in November or December for this year.
Hi Will – just letting you know that tickets are already (10/07/24) on sale and almost sold out! In fact, for early single sessions, just a few scattered tickets at face value. Everything else -lots! -seems to be secondary market …and priced 2-3x face value …plus axs markup (25%). Oddly, there ARE some Daily Double seats available for face value.
I guess we’re priced out of it for this year. Seems a shame that speculators are ruining this chance to see the best players in a great setting.
Hi Lee, thanks for sharing. It’s a popular event and for good reason. Tennis also seems to be growing in the US, so I imagine tickets will be at a premium for the foreseeable future.
Hello – I am planning my visit in 2025 and I have a question. For example, I see ground passes on sale on SubHub for about $100 for March 6th. However, I also see that the least expensive tickets for Stadium 1 for the day session are about $70. If I understand correctly, the Stadium 1 tickets would give me the same advantage as the ground pass, and on top of that, I have a reserved seat if I want to see the matches in Stadium 1. Am I understanding this correctly?
Hi Francois, yes you are correct. Stadium 1 tickets allow you access to all stadiums.