Showtime is coming to Tennis Paradise in the form of a legendary talent who has captivated fans with electric shotmaking and magnetic personality for two decades. 39-year-old Gael Monfils has been awarded a wild card into this year’s men’s singles draw, and will make his final appearance in the Coachella Valley. 

Monfils, who made his Indian Wells debut as a wild card in 2005, will be joined by a host of other big-name wild cards that includes 2019 champion Bianca Andreescu 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens, rising Spaniard Rafael Jodar and Columbia University standout Michael Zheng, who upset Sebastian Korda at this year’s Australian Open. 

Americans Martin Damm Jr., and Zachary Svajda, who is a Southern California native, also received men’s singles wild cards.

Earlier this week, 39-year-old Monfils became the oldest Frenchman to ever win a match on the ATP Tour in Acapulco. The two-time quarterfinalist, who has announced plans to retire at the end of the 2026 season, will make his 16th appearance in the California desert.

Andreescu, who stormed to the title at the age of 18 in 2019, will make her fourth appearance at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, and first since 2023. 

The former World No. 4 and 2019 US Open champion recently won a title in Vero Beach, Florida, and hopes to continue her ascent next week, as she seeks her first tour-level win of the season. 

2024 Olympic Silver Medalist Donna Vekic also received a main draw wild card, along with 2021 Australian Open runner-up Jennifer Brady, 2025 Roland Garros Junior Champion Lilli Tagger, and Americans Alycia Parks and Katie Volynets.

Additionally, seven-time major champion Venus Williams, who at 45 will become the oldest player to ever contest a main draw match in Tennis Paradise, received her main draw wild card last week.

Jagger Leach, Darwin Blanch Join Qualifying Field

Qualifying wild cards were also handed out to Jagger Leach, the son of two-time women’s singles champion Lindsay Davenport, Elizabeth Mandlik, daughter of four-time Grand Slam champion Hana Mandlikova and former junior No.4 Darwin Blanch. 

18-year-old Leach already has a winning experience under his belt in Tennis Paradise. He claimed the Boys’ singles and doubles titles at the third annual FILA International Junior Championships. 

The Laguna Beach, California native is currently a Freshman at Stanford. 

Blanch, who trains at the Juan Carlos Ferrero Tennis Academy in Villena, Spain, earned his first ATP Tour win in Winston-Salem last year, where he became the youngest American man to record an ATP Tour win since Frances Tiafoe in 2015.

Trevor Svajda, Andrew Johnson, and Izyan Zizou Ahmad, also received qualifying wild cards on the men’s side, while 2025 FILA International Junior Champion Julieta Pareja received a women’s qualifying draw wild card, along with Emerson Jones, Mary Stoiana, Elvina Kalieva, Elizabeth Mandlik, and Akasha Urhobo.