Practice makes perfect. In Tennis Paradise, practice is perfection. 

On Thursday at 11 a.m., Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic brought the buzz to the practice courts — 35 Grand Slam singles titles all within shouting distance of one another.

Add several thousand souvenir-seeking fans and you have the makings of a desert dream come to life. Fans flocked to the bleachers surrounding the courts, camera phones high in the air to commemorate the moment, as Alcaraz (partnered with Jiri Lehecka on PC1) and Sinner (with Luciano Darderi on PC2) worked volleys on the same side of the court, while Djokovic, just to the south on Practice Court 3, hit with Karen Khachanov.

A Legendary Trio

Which court to choose? Why not hit them all, in 20-minute sessions?

A trio from Santa Monica were camped in a sneaky-good spot in the shadows of Stadium 4 — the perfect place to watch Sinner and Alcaraz at the same time.

They told me the practice courts are high on their list of boxes to tick in Tennis Paradise.

“Definitely, first place we go.”

And what to make of the fact that three of the biggest names in tennis were all on court within shouting distance of where we stood?

“It says something that there are more people out here than there are inside the stadium, watching them,” one of the three, in for the day from Santa Monica, said.

“He got a great picture of Sinner and Alcaraz side-by-side on his phone,” another added with a smile.

Asked if they preferred the Italian or the Spaniard, one added that it is difficult to root against either.

“You gotta like them both. I mean, they're class acts all the way. They really are.”

Fans Love The Energy

Up on the balcony outside Stadium 1, fans lined up to snap photos of the special moment. Years later, no doubt, they’ll be saying, “Remember when?”

Below, the bleachers were completely full beneath baby-blue skies, the mountains in the distance adding a serene quality to the viewing experience. Smiles for miles, cameras in the air — three legends, so much flair. 

A quartet of women, each a player and a tennis enthusiast, were perched on a fence overlooking Djokovic’s practice, admiring the five-time champion’s dedication to craft. 

“Watching these strokes and footwork, and everything they put into their tennis, you see what goes into the game, and how dedicated they are,” Pamela from Reno said. “And I also love going over to the grass to see them doing their calisthenics — they don't just walk on that court and play.”

As Djokovic, Alcaraz and Sinner continued to practice, Arthur Fils was over on the players’ lawn working one-legged squats, while Tommy Paul did footwork drills, navigating an obstacle course of colored cones placed in the grass. Footballs in the air, players coming to and fro, signing autographs for fans as they passed through on their way to player dining. 

Later this weekend, all the stars of today’s show will light up the big stadiums with their larger-than-life tennis. But on Thursday in Tennis Paradise, fans came to see them behind the scenes. 

To learn more about what it takes to be an elite player. To share a rare slice of tennis that can only be found here in the California desert. They did so with family and friends. They laughed, snapped videos and waited for autographs.

A day they will not soon forget.