Tennis

What We Learned In ‘Tennis Paradise’ At The 2025 BNP Paribas Open

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By
wendioliveros
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wendioliveros Sports Editor

Wendi Oliveros is a diehard tennis fan that is known to set her clock at ridiculous hours to watch live action especially during the Australian Open. She is known for indulging in strawberries and cream during Wimbledon and has watched the US Open live several times.

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Sports Editor

Published16 Mar 2025

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BNP Paribas Open

The BNP Paribas Open has many names including Tennis Paradise and Indian Wells.  It is also the first half of the Sunshine Double that concludes with the Miami Open.  While it goes by many names, one word that can describe the 2025 BNP Paribas Open is unpredictable.  No one thought that Mirra Andreeva and Jack Draper would be crowned champions.

In addition to being unpredictable, here are other things we learned from this year at Tennis Paradise.

1. The Wind Was A Third Opponent

Tennis Paradise was a slight misnomer on some days when the gusty winds did a number on the server’s ball toss.  Managing the wind was as important as the strategy for dealing with the opponent.

2. Indian Wells Winning Streaks Were Not Safe

Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek were two-time defending champions, but they were dispelled in the semifinals by the eventual champions: Draper and Andreeva.  Neither lost a match at Indian Wells since 2022.

3. The Spring Of Mirra Is Intriguing

Mirra Andreeva’s spring hardcourt season gives us deja vu to another teenager’s tear in 2023.  The Spring of Mirra is giving us The Summer of Coco vibes.  Gauff was 19 when she charged through the US hardcourt season, took out top seeds, and won high-profile tournaments in Washington DC and Cincinnati en route to her maiden Grand Slam win at the US Open.

Andreeva has two big tournament wins in Dubai and Indian Wells, but the difference is that the next Grand Slam is on clay.  However, her best Grand Slam finish to date is her semifinal run at the French Open last year.  Could the Spring of Mirra conclude with a win at Roland Garros?

The conclusion of Tennis Paradise is always bittersweet.  Players and fans love the unofficial fifth Grand Slam. However, it is onward and upward to Miami.