Making your way to Tennis Paradise on the first day of main draw play? Well, don’t forget to celebrate Veroni Charcuterie Day for a free giveaway as you wander the grounds. 

Of course, the tennis takes center stage and with that in mind, here are three things to watch as the action gets underway in the California desert. 

Bring the sunscreen (as per usual) as a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 86 degrees awaits.

The (vast) home flavor 

These are great times for American tennis when it comes to depth. Six women feature inside the top 30 in the rankings — the exact same number as the men. 

While those players have a first round bye in Indian Wells, 11 Americans feature on the Day 1 schedule. 

Two go head to head on the main Stadium 1, Reilly Opelka and Ethan Quinn. 

Quinn, 21, looks for a first main draw win in Indian Wells, while the 6-foot-11 Opelka reached the fourth round in 2022 before being hit hard by hip and wrist injuries. 

The self described “serve bot” doesn’t mind a tiebreak or two but is 0-6 in career tiebreaks in the desert. 

Another towering server, Martin Damm, makes his Indian Wells debut against Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli at Stadium 2. 

The 6-foot-8 wildcard reached his first ATP semifinal — as a qualifier — in France last month. 

Later at Stadium 2, another wildcard, Zachary Svajda, faces Grand Slam winner Marin Cilic. Svajda competes in the desert about five months after his dad, Tom, died from cancer. 

Ann Li, born in the regal sounding King of Prussia close to Philadelphia, takes on Australia’s Talia Gibson at Stadium 3. If you like variety, then you’ll no doubt enjoy watching Li. 

Li — who worked in the past with famed coach Rick Macci — flew up the rankings last season. 

A second career title in 2025 helped her achieve a maiden top 40 finish. 

The last dance for Monfils

Gael Monfils got some help from his tennis friends late last season when he announced that 2026 would be his last year on the pro circuit. 

Fellow Frenchmen Gilles Simon, Richard Gasquet and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga all starred in a video that Monfils shared on social media. 

Monfils’ farewell tour now stops in Indian Wells, where the 39-year-old showman made his tournament debut in 2005 before reaching a pair of quarterfinals. 

He plays a Canadian qualifier competing in his first Masters 1000 outside Canada, Alexis Galarneau. 

By the time they step on court, it could be evening time in Indian Wells. The atmosphere won’t wane when they’re done, since Brazil’s Joao Fonseca — who always enjoys ample support — follows against Raphael Collignon. 

Bibi is back 

Besides Cilic, another Grand Slam winner — and tournament winner — kicks off the night session at Stadium 1 in Bianca Andreescu. 

Yes, it was back in 2019 when Andreescu won the title in Tennis Paradise, paving the way for her US Open title later in the year. 

After that, Andreescu suffered from injuries for long spells and took a mental health break. 

But she’s back as a wildcard making her fourth appearance and first since a third round loss to then No. 1 Iga Swiatek in 2023. 

Up first for the Canadian is qualifier Kamilla Rakhimova. 

Andreescu follows Matteo Berrettini at Stadium 1. 

Injuries, too, have scuppered Berrettini since he reached the Wimbledon final in 2021 — this year included. 

He missed the Australian Open but then played on clay in South America. 

Berrettini holds an 0-2 record against his 37-year-old French opponent, Adrian Mannarino.