Tuesday was Media Day in Tennis Paradise — which meant everyone was giddy with excitement. A rare chance to step away from the court and create a different kind of magic. Enter a little slice of paradise known as “Suite 311.”

Build It, They Will Come…

Players were whisked into the Tennis Paradise suite and greeted by a special Palm Springs-themed studio set complete with state-of-the-art lighting, props — including a snare drum and cue cards — and a small army of photographers fussing about to get each player in their best light.

A steady stream of stars, trailed by their agents and handlers, were ushered into this oasis inside the corridors of Stadium 1. They sat down on a custom bench inside the motif and turned on the charm.

“Maybe try putting your arms against the walls?”

“Excellent.”

“Now point at us.”

“Beautiful.”

“If you want to flip your hair, sure, that looks great.”

“Do you have a racquet with you? That might be cool.”

The art within the art

There is an art to coaxing a vibe out of the world’s best.

From Jannik Sinner to Jessica Pegula to Ben Shelton to Alexandra Eala to Aryna Sabalenka to Novak Djokovic, they all took cues and injected their own personalities into the project.

Defending champion Mirra Andreeva made sure to be a little different.

When asked to sign a placard as if it were a camera lens after a big win, she deliberated, then asked her team, who were more than willing to give advice.

Unsatisfied with their responses, she said: “Everyone does that, I don’t want to be like everyone else.”

Don’t worry, Mirra — it’ll never happen.

Filipina sensation Eala, so natural in front of the camera, propped her elbow against the wavy structure, posing like she’s been in front of a lens all her life. Learner Tien twirled his racquet like the whiz kid that he is. Aryna Sabalenka hammed it up, mixing supermodel looks with her trademark comedy routine, sticking her tongue out at the camera as photographers circled her purposefully.

Vision first

This is how the sausage gets made on Media Day. The vision comes first, then the players bring their world-class moxie. Next come the cameras clicking — and the questions.

“What was the best gift you ever gave someone?”

The question stumped a few players, but not Southern Californian Tien, who quickly quipped: “My company.”

Add in a few critical factors — microphone placement, proper lighting, a last-minute run to Hobby Lobby for blackout fabric, a laid-back Tennis Paradise vibe — throw in hours of editing (nobody said it was going to be easy) and you have an epic piece of entertainment worthy of Tennis Paradise.

Video clips and snapshots tell a story, but not the whole story. They don’t reveal the planning that goes into an intricate set design.

The inner workings

After taking inspiration from classic 1950s Palm Springs art books, lead photographer Jared Wickerham and colleague Drew Carlisle had a vision. They talked it over for weeks, drew up a plan, then found a set designer and later a local set builder late last year.

The set builder then delivered the set to "Suite 311" last week.

“A lot of portraits are shot on a colored seamless backdrop,” said Wickerham. “We wanted to give players some options in terms of how they can interact with the set.”

Time is of the essence on Media Day. Players are whisked through a variety of interviews — television, press, influencer spots and sponsor hits. During a taxing day with multiple practices under the desert sun sprinkled in, it takes a special energy to bring out a special energy.

“We only have a few minutes with them,” Wickerham said. “We want to bring out their personalities as much as possible in the little time that we get with them for these opportunities.”

Seventeen players visited the set over two days — the best of the best. Their personalities popped, as did the glowing color combination chosen to serve as the background.

“The pink and teal — hopefully it evokes a Palm Springs 1950s aesthetic,” Carlisle said. “Imagine an old Bel Air. It's a car with fins, or a neon sign, in that kind of shape. Some people have said waves. Some people have said neon signs, curved car bodies.”

After months of planning and two hyper-intense days of executing, the proof is in the pudding. Tennis Paradise is easy on the eyes, but behind the scenes, it’s hard work.