American Grand Slam champions now have a spot in Tennis Paradise.
Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, and Jack Sock, a three-time major doubles champion, lead the list of main-draw wild card recipients for next week’s BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.
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The ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 event is set for March 6 – 19 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Ten total Americans including Kenin were awarded wild card entry into the men’s and women’s main draws.
On the ATP side, Sock received a main draw wild card, as the three-time BNP Paribas Open doubles champion will return to Tennis Paradise after bringing home the title last year alongside partner John Isner. Sock has been ranked as high as World No. 8 and World No. 2 in singles and doubles respectively, in addition to being a three-time Grand Slam doubles champion.
23-year-old Yibing Wu has also been awarded a main draw wild card after becoming the first Chinese man to win an ATP title earlier this year. In winning the Dallas Open, Wu became the highest-ranked Chinese player in the history of the ATP Rankings and the first Chinese player to ever enter the Top 60.
Former University of Southern California standout Brandon Holt and 24-year-old American Alex Kovacevic are also on the list of ATP main draw wild card recipients.
2019 BNP Paribas Open champion and 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem previously received a main draw wild card and will make his first trip back to the desert since his title run four years ago.
Headlining the list of Hologic WTA Tour main draw wild cards is 2020 Australian Open Champion and former world No. 4 Kenin. The 24-year-old heads to Tennis Paradise looking to jumpstart her 2023 season with a career-best showing in Tennis Paradise, where she has previously reached the second round (2018, 2019).
Joining Kenin in receiving a main draw wild card is an exciting list of young American talent that includes 2021 NCAA Division I Singles Champion Emma Navarro; former Top 50 player Ann Li; seven-time Hologic WTA Tour doubles champion Caty McNally; California native Katie Volynets, who recently reached the third round at the 2023 Australian Open; 2022 NCAA Division I Singles Champion Peyton Stearns and 21-year-old Elizabeth Mandlik. Three-time WTA titlist Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine completes the list of Hologic WTA Tour main draw wild cards.
Wild cards into the BNP Paribas Open men’s qualifying draw were awarded to two-time Grand Slam singles quarterfinalist Tennys Sandgren, 2022 USTA boy’s 18s singles national champion Learner Tien, 2022 Wimbledon boys’ doubles champion Alex Michelsen, and San Diego native Zach Svajda. One additional qualifying wild card recipient will be announced in the coming days.
Five Americans—2022 Wimbledon girls’ singles champion Liv Hovde, 18-year-old Ashlyn Kreuger, World No. 33 doubles player Caroline Dolehide, 17-year-old Stephanie Yakoff, and 2021 US Open girls’ singles and doubles champion Robin Montgomery—received wild cards into the BNP Paribas Open women’s qualifying draw. 2022 Australian Open girls’ singles champion Petra Marcinko of Croatia completes the list of Hologic WTA Tour qualifying wild cards.
The 2023 BNP Paribas Open begins on Monday, March 6 with ATP and WTA qualifying play. Main draw play will commence on March 8 and the tournament will conclude on Sunday, March 19 with the men’s and women’s singles finals.
Photo credit: Getty
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