The 2025 BNP Paribas Open is officially here! With qualifying action kicking off on Sunday, read this tournament preview for 25 key things for '25 in Tennis Paradise.

1st Combined ATP Masters/WTA 1000-Level Event Of The Year – The 2025 tennis season is just kicking into gear, and the BNP Paribas Open is the first combined ATP Masters and WTA 1000 event of the year. This means that this is the first time that all the top men’s and women’s stars on both Tours have gathered in the same place to compete since the Australian Open.

2-Time Champions Return For Title Defense – Two-time Indian Wells champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz are the reigning BNP Paribas Open titleholders. Swiatek will look to become the first-ever women’s player to win three times in the desert, while Alcaraz is looking for a coveted Tennis Paradise three-peat, which has been done only by Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer previously at Indian Wells.

3 American Women Enter Indian Wells In The Top 5 – The BNP Paribas Open is full of American talent, which on the women's side is highlighted by three Top 5 ranked players. World No. 3 and 2023 US Open Champion Coco Gauff, World No. 4 and 2024 US Open finalist Jessica Pegula, and World No. 5 and 2025 Australian Open Champion Madison Keys will all take the court at Indian Wells.

4 Men Lead The American Charge For The Title – Don’t forget about the American men either. Four American men are ranked in the Top 20 and will be equally hungry to capture the title on home soil. 2022 BNP Paribas Open champion Taylor Fritz is joined by Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton, and Frances Tiafoe as Top 20 Americans in the hunt to win the ATP crown.

5 Women's Champions Return To The Desert –  Five Indian Wells women’s singles champions are back in the player field for 2025. In addition to Swiatek, past champions include Elena Rybakina (2023), Paula Badosa (2021), Naomi Osaka (2018), and two-time champion Victoria Azarenka (2012, 2016).

6 Titles Could Give Novak Djokovic An Indian Wells Record – No player has ever won six BNP Paribas Open crowns, and five-time champion Novak Djokovic will have a chance to make history as he returns for another appearance in Tennis Paradise. He’ll face an uphill battle as he looks to recover from injury suffered at the Australian Open, but it’s never fair to write off Djokovic anytime he’s in the draw.

7-Time WTA 1000 Champion Aryna Sabalenka Seeks Elusive Title In The Desert – World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka owns seven career 1000-level titles, one of the highest totals of any active player, but she is yet to claim one in Tennis Paradise. She got close with a runner-up finish in 2023, and will have her heart set on finally lifting the crown in 2025.

8 Star-Studded Mixed Doubles Pairings Go Head-To-Head At 2025 Eisenhower Cup – On Tuesday, March 4, the Eisenhower Cup will showcase eight star-studded pairings of top ATP and WTA stars competing in an exciting Tie Break Tens tournament. The fast-paced action under the lights of Stadium 2 will be thrilling kickoff to the BNP Paribas Open that fans won't want to miss, whether in-person or with a live broadcast on Tennis Channel.

9 Stadium Courts To Take In The Action– The BNP Paribas Open features action-packed draws, and fans can choose from nine courts around the beautiful grounds of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden to watch world-class tennis.

10 Consecutive Years Indian Wells Has Been Voted 1000-Level Tournament of the Year – Did you know the players have voted the BNP Paribas Open as their favorite tournament of the year for 10 years in a row? Well, now you do. Players love it, fans love it -- there truly is a reason they call this place Tennis Paradise.

11th Anniversary of Stadium 2 – It has been 11 years since Stadium 2 was sold out for the McEnroe Challenge For Charity, the first ever match to be held at the stadium. Now, it plays host to some of the BNP Paribas Open's biggest matches in an intimate stadium environment. The 8,000-seat venue also boats its own Nobu restaurant, as well as Ristorante Mamma Gina and Molé Kitchen. Fans headed to the desert this year will want to ensure they take advantage of all that Stadium 2 has to offer.

12 Pairings Will Clash In Expanded Mixed Doubles Tournament – The BNP Paribas Open hosted its inaugural mixed doubles tournament in 2024, won by Storm Hunter and Matthew Ebden. This year, the second edition of the tournament is set to expand from eight to 12 teams. Keep an eye out for the mixed doubles player field, with the competition beginning during the second week of action.

13th Is The Date of Must-See Quarterfinal Thursday – For the second year in a row, all singles quarterfinal matches will take place on one day. Fans will want to circle Thursday, March 13 on their calendar as all-play Quarterfinal Thursday promises to be one of the top days of action in the desert.

14 Live Music Performances At The Village Stage – The on-court action is just the start of the fun in Tennis Paradise. Fans can look forward to 14 live musical acts during the 2025 BNP Paribas Open, including John McEnroe's Johnny Smyth Band on Sunday, March 9.

15 Days of Action In Tennis Paradise – From the first serve of qualifying to the final championship points, there are 15 days of action in the desert for fans to come out and experience Tennis Paradise. The full BNP Paribas Open runs from March 2-16.

16-year-old Kristina Penickova Is The Youngest Player In The Draws -- The youngest player in this year's field including qualifying is Southern California native Kristina Penickova. The Campbell, California native recently broke out for her maiden Junior Grand Slam title at the 2025 Australian Open, winning the doubles title alongside her twin sister, Annika.

17 and 18. Iva Jovic, 17, and Joao Fonseca, 18, Are The Youngest Players In The Main Draw – The youngest player with direct entry into each respective main draw is another Southern California native in 17-year-old Iva Jovic, and 18-year-old Brazilian rising star João Fonseca on the men's side. Both impressed to start the season by reaching the second round in their Australian Open debuts.

19 Was The Age of Defending Champion Carlos Alcaraz When He Claimed His First Indian Wells Title – Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz marks the only time a teenager has won the men's singles title in this century. Rising stars such as Fonseca and Learner Tien now have their shot to join Alcaraz in elite Tennis Paradise company.

20 Practice Courts To Watch Non-Stop Action – The Indian Wells practice courts are the worst kept fan secret in Tennis Paradise. Get up close to your favorite stars and watch them gear up for competition with 20 practice courts to choose from. And make sure you know where to find the practice schedule to see where and when players will take the court.

21 French Players Make France The Second-Most Represented Country – Outside the Americans, France has the most players represented across all competitions in Indian Wells with 21 total French players in singles and doubles. But despite the strong representation, there's only been one French singles champion in BNP Paribas Open history. Yannick Noah in 1982

22 Tournaments Since An American Woman Last Won Indian Wells -- It was mentioned earlier that three of the top five WTA seeds at the BNP Paribas Open will be owned by Americans, but you can't mention that with also noting that it has been 22 tournaments since it's been a home country women's winner in the desert. Could Gauff, Pegula, or Keys end the drought in 2025?

23 Unique Spectacular Dining Options On The Menu For 2025 – This includes four world-class restaurants, including the world-famous Nobu located in Stadium 2. Check out the full food and beverage lineup to see everything that's on the menu for 2025 in Tennis Paradise.

24 Qualifiers Will Punch Their Main Draw Ticket From March 2-4 – While the majority of spots in the main draws have already been filled, there are still 24 spots up for grabs to be awarded to the winners of the BNP Paribas Open qualifying tournament from March 2-4. Experience these intense, high-stakes matches for just $10 as players battle it out for a coveted spot in the main draw.

25th Anniversary of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden – The beautiful home of Tennis Paradise opened its doors 25 years ago in March 2000. Fast forward 25 years later, and the state-of-the-art venue is looking as grand and great as it's ever looked. Here's to another amazing 25 years and many more!