Indian Wells/ Miami 2017
: 06 mar 2017, 13:55
TIER: Premier
PRIZE MONEY: $6,993,450 SURFACE: Hard
DIRECTOR: Tommy Haas
Total Financial Commitment: $6,157,160. The BNP Paribas Open is the most attended tennis event in the world outside of the four Grand Slams. Since 2000, it has been held at the state-of-the-art Indian Wells Tennis Garden, which features a 16,100-seat stadium - the second-largest in the world. The venue sits in the Coachella Valley, known for its 354 days of sunshine a year, making it a perfect setting for professional tennis.
Debuting as a men's event in 1976, the women came to Indian Wells the week before the men in 1989 and then concurrently in 1996. Now held just before Miami's Sony Open Tennis in March, the two-week event has evolved into a 'Premier Mandatory', making it one of the WTA calendar's four most prestigious stops.
Among Indian Wells' many accolades are being named the WTA's Premier Tournament Of The Year five times - in 1997, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2013 - and the Premier Mandatory Tournament Of The Year in 2014; becoming the first event in the world to offer the Hawk-Eye challenge system on every match court in 2011; and becoming the first ATP/WTA combined tournament to distribute $1 million in prize money to each of its singles champions in 2012.
Indian Wells champions include WTA legends Lindsay Davenport, Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Martina Navratilova and Monica Seles, and more recently 21st century superstars Victoria Azarenka, Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki. Lisa Raymond has the tournament doubles record with seven titles.
TOURNAMENT INFO
TIER: Premier
PRIZE MONEY: $6,993,450 SURFACE: Hard
DIRECTOR: Adam Barrett
Miami is one of the most glamorous and upbeat cities in the world, which is why it is the perfect host for the Miami Open presented by Itaú - the largest tennis event in the world outside of the Grand Slams.
A combined ATP/WTA two-week extravaganza in March, this Premier Mandatory event was first held in Delray Beach in 1985. After moving to Boca Raton in 1986, it settled in its permanent home in Miami's Key Biscayne in 1987 - its 30-acre facility eventually becoming known as the Tennis Center at Crandon Park.
Serena Williams became one of just four players in the Open Era with at least seven titles at one event by capturing Miami yet again in 2014. Victoria Azarenka, Kim Clijsters, five-time champ Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario, Monica Seles and Venus Williams also have multiple Miami Open titles. Jana Novotna has the Miami doubles record with seven titles.
Miami has twice been honored as the WTA Premier Tournament Of The Year - in 1995 and 2004.
