A break from the day job! Medvedev, Rublev among stars undercover in Tennis Paradise

There are a surprising number of tennis lookalikes working on site at this year’s BNP Paribas Open. Or are there?

Some passers-by may not have realised it, but a host of top stars from the ATP Tour and Hologic WTA Tour set down their racquets to help provide a true ‘Tennis Paradise’ experience for fans in Indian Wells.

Each star was assigned a different role for a shift: Daniil Medvedev worked as a cashier, Andrey Rublev became part of on-site security, Alex de Minaur helped fans navigate the car park, Holger Rune helped out in the Indian Wells Tennis Garden gift shop, Maria Sakkari sold popcorn, and Ons Jabeur handed out complimentary maps.

Keeping a low profile was key to doing a good job, according to World No. 4-turned-cashier Medvedev.

“It was actually very fun,” Medvedev said when asked about his experience by Tennis Channel. “You’re a little bit scared that there’s going to be a hundred people instantly recognise you, and then the game is going to be gone… I tried to act but it was tough, and it was a lot of fun.”

Not every visitor to the BNP Paribas Open had time in their day to realise who they were dealing with, according to Medvedev.

“The first guy was the best because I think he was either in a hurry or in a bad mood,” he said. “That was the first guy I checked. They explained to me how to do it, but still I was really stressed because I was like ‘Where do I scan this?’.

“I was trying to make jokes, like ‘Sorry it’s my first day’, and he was not answering me. Just wanted me to do it faster. He just left, I said good day and I don’t think he even answered. It was fun, part of the joke.”

Then there was Rublev, whose disguise was so good that fans either did not recognise him at all or, in one case, told him he resembled a completely different member of the Top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings!

_{^{Alex de Minaur directs fans in the car park at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Photo Credit: ATP}}