A picturesque Saturday in Tennis Paradise brought yet another veritable who’s who of the sport.

With the seeds in action and the main draw in full flow, the practice schedule was loaded with marquee names across the 20 practice courts — a chorus of tennis balls popping and crowds cheering, all blending into a stereophonic tennis soundtrack.

Autograph seekers lined the fences clutching giant tennis balls. A young girl trailed her mom, tugging at her skirt and scanning the grounds for a glimpse of her hero. Who is she hoping to see? Naomi Osaka.

Her mom asks where the best place to find Osaka might be and is directed to the railing closest to the walkway between the players’ lawn and the locker rooms.

A chokepoint through which every icon passes.

Tennis icons are everywhere on the first weekend in Tennis Paradise. Hope springs eternal during the stage of the tournament where the draws are still a blank slate, waiting for main characters to emerge.

Could one of them be Emma Raducanu? She’s having a hit on Practice Court 13, drawing a smiling crowd peering over the fences as she rallies with 19-year-old Czech Tereza Valentova.

What about Frances Tiafoe? The former semifinalist loves playing in front of American fans. He’s putting on a show for a lively crowd on Practice Court 16.

Outside Stadium 1, Neil and Susan from Arizona wait to see who might pass by. Who are they hoping to spot?

“Anyone,” they say with a smile. 

They won’t be disappointed.

They like to attend during the first week in Tennis Paradise — that way they’re sure to see the players they came for. And who would that be?

“Alcaraz and Sinner, of course.”

The couple were in luck. Alcaraz took the court on Practice Court 1 at 11 a.m., and later in the day the Spaniard will face Grigor Dimitrov in Stadium 1.

Double the pleasure.

Meanwhile the grounds were teeming with life, the blue sky dotted with lazy clouds against the desert backdrop. Just behind Neil and Susan, a massive crowd had gathered to see Novak Djokovic practicing next to Alcaraz on Practice Court 2. Fans lined the fences, craning their necks for a glimpse of the legend, camera phones raised to capture the moment.

Thirty-one Grand Slam singles titles — and counting — on two practice courts.

Up on the Stadium 1 balcony, a large crowd erupted as Alcaraz took the court. A buzz filled the air as the two-time champion stretched at the net, laughing with his team.

Djokovic and Alcaraz — a thrilling juxtaposition of generations.

Tennis Paradise: the place to see them — and to be seen doing it.