Posted By: Jeff McKown
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| The SoCal Desert right outside the tennis center |
We drove from NorCal on Sunday and played tennis in the afternoon before enjoying a phenomenal Cuban dinner. On Monday, we left LA and headed to the Indian Wells Tennis Center.
The weather for our drive was amazing. Things were sunny and warm in the valley, but snow-capped mountains lined the horizon.
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| SoCal springtime as seen from I-5 |
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| Snow-capped mountain peaks (with a little bug smear on the windshield). |
Indian Wells is an oasis in the middle of the desert near Palm Springs. The setting is gorgeous for tennis, or anything else for that matter.
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| Practice courts |
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| Stadium 1 and the mountains beyond |
The world's best tennis players participate in the tourney at Indian Wells (excepting a Williams sister or two), and we saw loads of tennis stars on both practice courts and in match play. Some highlights for us:
- Big guns - Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and relative newbie Milos Raonic
- Gifted up-and-comers - Sloane Stephens, Ernests Gulbis, and Jerzy Janowicz
- Talented Frenchies - Marion Bartoli, Richard Gasquet, Gilles Simon, and Benoit Paire
American men's tennis is in a bit of a slump right now. Depending on the performance of Sam Querrey this week, it's possible that no American man will be ranked in the top 20 for the first time in 40 years. If there's a bright spot on the horizon though, it may well be twenty-year old midwesterner Jack Sock.
As one of the bigger tennis events in the United States, Indian Wells attracts a celebrity crowd. Who knew Gladys Knight was a big tennis fan? (Yes, she did do a couple of verses of Midnight Train to Georgia.)
One last photo - Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez was there. He sends his love.
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| Jack Sock practicing his backhand. |
As one of the bigger tennis events in the United States, Indian Wells attracts a celebrity crowd. Who knew Gladys Knight was a big tennis fan? (Yes, she did do a couple of verses of Midnight Train to Georgia.)
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| Gladys Knight taking questions during lunch in the tennis center food court. |
One last photo - Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez was there. He sends his love.
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| Spanish tennis player Feliciano Lopez. |
BONUS: The organizers of the BNP Paribas Open put on a phenomenal event for both tennis fans and players. Here's a fun video clip they put together of the top five ranked men being quizzed on how well they know each other.
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