By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday, February 28, 2025
Excitement is building as Belinda Bencic, the 2020 Olympic Gold Medalist, and Sloane Stephens, who clinched the 2017 US Open title, are set to join the legendary Petra Kvitova as wild card entrants in the women’s singles main draw at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
For Bencic, representing Switzerland, this event comes at a pivotal moment in her career. After welcoming her daughter, Bella, into the world last April, she’s making her return to tennis. Already, her comeback is showing promise; she claimed the title in Abu Dhabi earlier in the month, hinting that her sharp competitive edge is very much intact. Alongside her, American players Robin Montgomery, Alycia Parks, and Bernarda Pera have received their wild card entries. And let’s not overlook the young talent from Southern California, 17-year-old Iva Jovic, who finds herself placed in the main draw with a ranking of 162.
Just to stir a bit of intrigue, it was reported that Venus Williams opted out of an Indian Wells wild card, adding a layer of anticipation as fans eagerly await more details.
On the men’s side, American tennis star Reilly Opelka will spearhead the group of wild card entries. Also capturing attention are Stanford University alumni and locals Nishesh Basavareddy and Tristan Boyer. Both players had notable showings at the 2025 Australian Open, where Boyer snagged a first-round victory and Basavareddy delivered a thrilling four-set match against Novak Djokovic, following his impressive run to the semifinals in Auckland.
Further rounding out the men’s wild card selection is Joao Fonseca. Learner Tien, initially a wild card recipient, has now secured a spot in the main draw through his ranking, leaving one more men’s wild card spot up for grabs, sparking some speculation on who could fill this coveted position.
An air of tradition and excitement swirls around the BNP Paribas Open, promising electric tennis action under the Californian sun. Fans are poised for another exhilarating year at Tennis Paradise, with just one more wildcard announcement awaited for both the WTA and ATP draws.
