Five decades of tennis in the desert: How Indian Wells became an ATP Tour highlight

The party will hit a new milestone this year in Tennis Paradise.

The Indian Wells Tennis Garden is set to host the latest edition of the BNP Paribas Open, one of the most glamourous events on Tour. It will cap five decades of a tournament that takes place in the stunning Coachella Valley in the southern California desert.

Ahead of the 2025 edition of the BNP Paribas Open, ATPTour.com takes a look at the long history of the tournament, its stellar lineup of past champions, and what to watch out for at this year’s event.

Nomadic Beginnings
After beginning life in 1974 as a men’s non-tour-level event held in Tucson, Arizona, the BNP Paribas Open moved to California’s Coachella Valley for the first time in 1976, when it also became part of the ITF Grand Prix circuit. Jimmy Connors triumphed that year at Mission Hills Country Club in Palm Springs, where he prevailed in a field that also included his fellow members of the ATP No. 1 Club, Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg.

Despite some early uncertainty about the event's long-term future, the 1981 arrival as tournament director of Charlie Pasarell, a former Top 40 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, marked an upward turn in fortunes. In 1987, Pasarell joined forces with his fellow ex-pro Raymond Moore to move the event, which had been held in Tucson and three different stops in California (Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta) across its first 13 editions, to a large, modern facility at the newly completed Grand Champions Hotel in Indian Wells.

The 1987 move to Indian Wells also marked the first year that the BNP Paribas Open hosted a WTA event, although the men’s and women’s tournaments were not held concurrently until 1996.

_{^{Boris Becker during his title run in 1987, the year the BNP Paribas Open was held in the city of Indian Wells for the first time. Photo Credit: Mike Powell /Allsport}}

Millennium Makeover
Having firmly established itself as an early-season fixture on the ATP Tour and Hologic WTA Tour calendars, the BNP Paribas Open's next big move was to welcome a new millennium in the most ambitious way imaginable. Under the continued guidance of Pasarell and Moore, the event moved to its present-day home, the spectacular purpose-built Indian Wells Tennis Garden, in 2000, when it also became the first ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 to be expanded to 12 days.

That decision to build a state-of-the-art ‘Tennis Paradise’ in the desert, complete with 29 courts including a 16,000-seat stadium court (the second-biggest purpose-built tennis arena by capacity in the world after Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York), has proven crucial to the BNP Paribas Open becoming one of the most popular spots on Tour with players and fans alike.

_{^{Fans watch Novak Djokovic practise during his triumphant 2015 BNP Paribas Open campaign. Photo Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images}}

"There's a reason why they call it Tennis Paradise," said joint-record five-time men's singles champion Novak Djokovic of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in 2024. "It’s an enjoyable experience for players, for fans. Anybody that really loves the sport enjoys this tournament very much."

The fan experience in Indian Wells remains unique to both Tours. As well as being spoilt for choice when it comes to watching the world’s finest male and female players strut their stuff, visitors to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden have plenty of other entertainment options across the 54-acre site. That includes live music daily throughout the tournament, world-class dining and premium shopping options.

In 2007, more than 300,000 fans visited the BNP Paribas Open, the first time any tournament outside the majors had hit that number. In 2024, the total attendance was a tournament-record 493,440.

Desert Dominance
No matter the size, setting or stature of the event, the BNP Paribas Open has always attracted a star-studded lineup. After Connors triumphed in the inaugural tour-level edition of the event in 1976, he went on to add two more titles to his cabinet (in 1981 and 1984). He is one of five men to have tasted success in the California desert on three or more occasions.

Another home favourite, Michael Chang, was the first player to equal Connors' title tally. He triumphed in 1992, 1996 and 1997. From 2004, as on so many of tennis’ biggest stages, an era of ‘Big 3’ dominance began in the Coachella Valley. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic (owners of a joint-record five titles each), as well as Rafael Nadal (three titles) joined Connors and Chang as proven masters of the desert conditions.

_{^{Roger Federer in action under the California sun during his 2004 Indian Wells title run. Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images}}

As well as Connors, Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, eight other former No. 1s in the PIF ATP Rankings have lifted the trophy in Indian Wells — Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, Jim Courier, Pete Sampras, Marcelo Rios, Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt and Carlos Alcaraz. In 2025, Alcaraz will attempt to join Federer and Djokovic as the only men to win the prestigious event in three consecutive years.

As Alcaraz chases a three-peat and Djokovic plots a record sixth title run this year in Indian Wells, the BNP Paribas Open will be sure to honour five decades of elite-level tennis in the Coachella Valley, a setting that was perhaps once considered an unlikely stop for a pro event of any stature. The plans include a special Friday Night Fireworks Show on 7 March to celebrate ’50 Years of Tennis In The Desert’, and recognise one of the ATP Tour’s biggest annual spectacles.