Inside iconic Stadium 2 on Tuesday evening at the BNP Paribas Open, eight elite mixed doubles teams—a veritable who’s who of tennis—featuring two-time champion Iga Swiatek, 2023 champion Taylor Fritz, reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina, defending champion Mirra Andreeva and more will take part in a high-stakes Tie Break Tens showdown.

Come for world-class tennis and stay to witness showmanship at full tilt, with a winner-take-all prize purse of $200k. 

Since its inception, the fast-paced Eisenhower Cup has cemented itself as an Indian Wells tradition and a one-of-a-kind spectacle. The sixth edition of an event that broke new ground as the first mixed doubles competition ever played at the Masters 1000 level begins at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, March 3, with gates opening to Stadium 2 at 5:30 pm.

A star-studded field, a packed stadium, and a light-hearted vibe that brings smiles for miles. The Eisenhower Cup is the perfect way to celebrate the eve of main draw play in Tennis Paradise, and this year’s edition promises to be the most vibrant yet.

“I think it’s great entertainment when you have both Tours united, with high-level players from the WTA and ATP competing together,” said two-time singles finalist Maria Sakkari, who has teamed with the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud in years past. “It’s great for the sport. The lineup is unreal.”

2026 Eisenhower Cup Roster

• 2026 Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina + 2022 BNP Paribas Open champion Taylor Fritz

• Two-time BNP Paribas Open champion Iga Swiatek + World No. 13 Casper Ruud

• World No. 4 Amanda Anisimova + World No. 15 Andrey Rublev 

• World No. 6 Jessica Pegula + World No. 24 Tommy Paul 

• 2024 US Open semifinalist Emma Navarro + World No. 9 Ben Shelton

• 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez + World No. 6 Felix Auger-Aliassime

• 2025 BNP Paribas Open champion Mirra Andreeva + 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev

• World No. 8 Jasmine Paolini + 2021 Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini

A single-elimination proving ground conducted in a festival-like atmosphere, the Eisenhower Cup excels at offering fans a glimpse into the lighter side of the tour. It teases out the endearing, authentic personalities of the players and never fails to deliver an unforgettable experience.

It’s not just the fans who get swept up in the excitement. The players themselves relish the opportunity to take part in a unique format that swaps the traditional coin toss for "rock, paper, scissors," and often features stars conducting interviews on stationary bikes while the scintillating action continues on court.

“It’s a good time,” raves Felix Auger-Aliassime, who previously competed alongside fellow Canadian Leylah Fernandez. “It’s nice to step out on court with all these great players in a packed stadium—really cool.”

Emma Navarro, who returns to team up with Ben Shelton for the second consecutive year, loves the laid-back vibes in Tennis Paradise. She certainly doesn’t mind having one of the world’s biggest servers on her side of the net, either.

"I feel pretty confident standing there at the net when he’s serving. We had a lot of fun last year!" Navarro said.

Last year, former BNP Paribas Open champions Taylor Fritz and Elena Rybakina—affectionately dubbed “Fribakina” —defeated Tommy Paul and Madison Keys to claim the title. 

"It was awesome. You come here to try and win it, and it was super exciting to play with Elena,” said Southern California native Fritz, who also won the event in 2023 with Aryna Sabalenka.

Fritz and Rybakina will bid to defend their title this year against a star-studded cast of talent, all of them eager to kick off their 2026 BNP Paribas Open with a headline-grabbing performance. 

Who will hoist the trophy this year? While the champion is tough to predict, it’s safe to say the fans will be the biggest winners of all.