BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, CA, 2024 - WTA 1000

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just a warning for Coco Gauff if you dare DF 17 times in your SF match against Sakkari I will come down and take your racquet off you okay !

 

[tossip]

Just a warning for Coco Gauff if you dare DF 17 times in your SF match against Sakkari I will come down and take your racquet off you okay !

You better do that because she was horrible.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

You better do that because she was horrible.

I thinik you and I could serve better

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Coco not well, getting some attention from the medical staff after dropping the 1st set 64 to Sakkari, which kind of came out of nowhere, both players were holding their service games well
Coco says she felt nauseous, anyway another rain delay both players going off the court

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Seeing a lot of people think IW is like a 5th slam, always well attended and the owner Larry Ellison has really done a great job growing the tournament
I think a roof over the main stadium would be a good idea, I know it wont be cheap, still at night when the temp is cooler in the desert, and now the rain, not a great fan experience.It is not the first time in this tournament, apart from the Bee's, that we have had rain delays.

 

[shawnbm]

And what makes an event the 5th slam? For forty years since the early 1980s, the Lipton in Miami (Key Biscayne) was called that until maybe ten years ago as IW became the event associated with that moniker. Why?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

And what makes an event the 5th slam? For forty years since the early 1980s, the Lipton in Miami (Key Biscayne) was called that until maybe ten years ago as IW became the event associated with that moniker. Why?

You tell me, all I know that friends that have visited IW say it is a great tournament, good hotels, great golf courses, good restaurant, lots to do if you are not attending the tennis all the time
At present the rain has got heavier sad to say

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

They are drying off the courts now, we might see the rest of the SF tonight, fingers crossed, ( I have to take my cat to the vets, in 5 mins, I will be back a bit later)

 

[Moxie]

I'm giving up on the rain delay. Someone tell me how this came out tomorrow.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I have just got back from taking my cats to the vet
Sakkari with a break in the 2nd set and will serve for the match 5-4
Great fight from Coco saving MPs
Saves another MP and we are back on serve 5 all 2nd set, good recovery from Gauff she was down a double break in the 2nd set. Maria served twice for the match
6 games all
TB for the 2nd set just started

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Gauff comes back from 2-5 down, 3 MPs saved ( at 4-5) to take the 2nd set 76(5) Maria served for the match twice?
Gauff 2nd set 76(5)
Going 3

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

After trading early breaks in the 3rd set, Maria leading 4-1? though we have seen this script before, can she hold on, though most importantly serve the match out at the end if she gets a chance?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Maria Sakkari, who had a very poor start of the season, qualifies for a 2nd final in 3 years in IW defeats Coco Gauff 64 67(5) 62 in the SFs
Faces Iga Swaitek on Sunday, just like in the 2022 final at IW.

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

Indian Wells has lost its luster the last few years. It hasn't been the 5th slam since at least 2022. It's just seems out of place on the tennis calendar, in the heart of March Madness. Plus, its future beyond this year is uncertain. (I can see this event being a casualty of the Saudi takeover.)

To me, the 5th event is Rome, but Cincinnati could challenge for it when it gets its upgrades in 2025. Rome is a good barometer for the French Open and Cincinnati for the US Open. IW takes place in the middle of nowhere in the calendar.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Indian Wells has lost its luster the last few years. It hasn't been the 5th slam since at least 2022. It's just seems out of place on the tennis calendar, in the heart of March Madness. Plus, its future beyond this year is uncertain. (I can see this event being a casualty of the Saudi takeover.)

To me, the 5th event is Rome, but Cincinnati could challenge for it when it gets its upgrades in 2025. Rome is a good barometer for the French Open and Cincinnati for the US Open. IW takes place in the middle of nowhere in the calendar.

I have been to Rome tournament many times over the years, they have made the tournament bigger in ways, No Way could it challenge for the 5th event.IW has much better facilities to start with, though Rome is such a wonderful place to visit, where the courts are in Rome, it is over the Tiber River, and hard to get there if you stay in a hotel in Rome, where at IW they have shuttle buses to the tournament, I have friends that go to IW every year. they love it, apart from the facilities also as tennis fans, unless you go to a tournament, I feel you cannot make a proper judgement..Madrid could be the 5th event, even though it does not have proper clay, it has better facilities than Rome as a tournament., though not ideal because it is a hard court primarily, no barometer for RG.
Personally speaking I have never liked Cinncy, regardless of their upgrades in 2025.Cinncy isnt a barometer for the USO., because the playing surface at Cinncy is different to that of the USO.
To me one of these 1000 events need a roof to be in contention full stop
BTW,
For an unprecedenth nine straight time ATP Masters IW, as determind by player vote has been recognized (2023))as the 1000 premier event of the season by both tour since 2014., it was also recognized by the WTA in 2013, making it 10 consecutive times on the women's side and 14 overall.
Indian Wells must be doing something right? dont you think,? lol!, all the players both men and women like this tournament for many reasons, Tommy Haas is a very good tournament director.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Ladies Doubles Final, currently on court,
Hsieh/Mertens (1) vs Hunter/Siniakova (3)

Good match so far, Hsieh is just a 'magician' on court., placed a high, offensive lob right on the line
Hsieh/Metens 1st set 63
4 all in the 2nd set

Elise Mertens and the 'ageless Hsieh Su-Wei clain the Womens Doubles title over Storm Sanders and Katerina Siniakova 63 64
Second IW title as a team for the pair. 4th IW title for Hsieh, 3rd for Mertens

Well done ladies, a fun match!

Note: Su-Wei Hsieh will become the new World No 1 doubles player on Monday!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Preview of the Ladies Womens Title on Sunday 17th March,
Starts at 11.00am, rematch of the final in 2022, ( fingers crossed no rain)

Iga Swiatek and Maria Sakkari will face each other in the Indian Wells final
Maria leads their H2H 3-2, but Iga won their last 2 matches.
Iga is 19-2 this season and leads the tour in most matches won.Iga hasnt lost a set to the final
Maria 10-4 this year, she didnt have the best start to the season, but her level has improved at IW making the final for the second time, last time was in 2022.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Iga and Maria on court and warming up for the final
Play just started.
BTW Iga now has towels in the boxes in all four corners of the court, also kleenex, Prepared!
Maria already down 0-3 against Iga, not a great start

 

[tossip]

The crowd is behind Maria

 

[tossip]

I am rooting for Maria she deserves to win a big event.