It was a veritable who’s who in Tennis Paradise on Friday, a beautiful balmy day in the Coachella Valley that saw some of the biggest names in this year’s draw take their first cuts on the iconic hard courts at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

With two days until qualifying begins, the site was a peaceful oasis compared to what it will be next week when the main draw kicks off. Stars populated the player’s lawn, joked as they traversed the pathways en route to practice courts, and kicked back in the warm glow. 

Four-time major champion Jannik Sinner, 2018 champion Naomi Osaka, top-ranked Aussie Alex de Minaur, Emma Raducanu, Learner Tien, Matteo Berrettini and Venus Williams were among the big names working up a sweat.

Sinner on Stadium 1

Sinner took to Stadium 1 alongside his longtime coach Darren Cahill, with Belgium’s Zizou Bergs as his sparring partner. The World No.2, aiming for a first title in the desert this year, took time to polish up his serve and return for a chunk of time before the pair battled it out in a practice set. 

The shot of the day actually came from the 46th-ranked Belgian who retrieved a Sinner drop shot before racing to his baseline to take on a devilish lob from the Italian. Bergs then ripped a tweener into the open court and fell to his back on the court, looking around for anyone who might have witnessed his spectacular winner. 

Osaka, Tagger And Coaches Span Generations

Over on Stadium 3 there was a meeting of generations as 2018 champion and four-time major winner Naomi Osaka hit with 18-year-old Austrian wild card Lilli Tagger. After the hitting session concluded Tagger and her coach, former Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone, exchanged handshakes with Osaka and her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, with Tournament Director Tommy Haas stopping by to say hello. 

A great experience for Tagger to hit with a legend of the game like Osaka just days before her debut in Tennis Paradise. 

Stars On The Players' Lawn

The vast, iconic expanse of the player’s lawn was dotted with starpower. Former semifinalist David Goffin took a jog, while Diane Parry played keepy-uppy with Alize Cornet, France’s Billie Jean King Cup Captain. There is a new addition to the player’s lawn this year: a large football goal bolted into the ground, which should make the footy competition more thrilling than ever.

20-year-old Czech Nikola Bartunkova immediately took a turn at playing goalie, a team member blasting shots at her from long range.

Calm Before The Storm

The energy was palpable all day long in Tennis Paradise. The outdoor weight room, tucked into the southwest corner of the player’s lawn, was home to smiling faces, happy to reconvene for another year in the shadow of the glorious San Jacinto mountains.

All 20 practice courts and nine stadium courts were teeming with life, surrounded by a chorus of workers hustling around the grounds, putting the final touches on the structures that will serve as the foundation for our two-week party in the California desert. 

There was a forklift carrying cases of champagne and Aperol parked outside the Circle of Palms – a sign of good times to come, while the grass of the shaded garden spaces was being meticulously mowed. Sun umbrellas popped into place in the Paradise Pavilion and a colorful assortment of national flags was being raised to sit proudly atop Stadium 3.

Hurkacz And Branch On 3

Over on Stadium 2 we caught a glimpse of two-time quarterfinalist Hubert Hurkacz and 18-year-old American wild card Darwin Blanch trading blows. Another tried-and-true veteran rallying with a bright-eyed member of the sport’s generations next. 

It is a theme that recurs in Tennis Paradise as we embrace tradition while simultaneously welcoming evolution. See you tomorrow, for Family Day, and Sunday for the start of women's qualifying!