Three matches to watch as the tournament settles into its opening week, each carrying a distinct storyline.

Alexander Zverev arrives with fresh intent and a mixed history at this event. “I like to play golf here,” he said. “Historically I didn’t like to play tennis here.” His 13-9 record at Indian Wells and absence of a semifinal appearance underline that unease, yet Zverev is taking a different approach this season. “But that could change,” he added, pointing to a more aggressive plan. “Take more risks, maybe take some losses like in Acapulco along the way, but play the right way.” His first test comes against Matteo Berrettini, who leads their head-to-head 4-3 and beat Zverev at Wimbledon in 2023 and in Monte Carlo, 7-5 in the third set, in 2025. Berrettini’s tight win over Adrian Mannarino left him cramping and unable to get up for six minutes after a near three-hour match; he produced 26 forehand winners and was 12 for 12 at net. Fitness and who can impose their game will decide this one.

Coco Gauff returns to home courts for the first time in 2026 buoyed by recent results. “The weather is great as usual, so I’m excited to go out there and play.” She cites the U.S. athletes at the Olympics as inspiration and reached the semifinals in Dubai in February. That tournament has recently been elevated to a 1000, but Gauff says she still thinks of Indian Wells as the first event of the year of that stature. Serve pressure will be the story for her here; she has not solved every serving issue but it has not derailed her season as it did last year. Gauff beat 88th-ranked Rakhimova 6-2, 6-3 at the Australian Open, leads her 2-0 and is 11-5 at Indian Wells. Rakhimova arrives having won two qualifying matches and survived a three-set opener with Bianca Andreescu.

Ben Shelton has climbed the draw each year at Indian Wells — second round in 2023, fourth round in 2024, quarterfinals in 2025 — and he may already be eyeing a meeting with Jannik Sinner in the last eight. “It gives you a lot of confidence as a competitor when you’re getting through the tough ones and coming up in the clutch moments,” he said of his performance in Dallas, where he saved match points against Taylor Fritz in the final. “I played my best tennis when my back was against the wall, so I take a lot of confidence from that.” He faces Reilly Opelka, a servebot who can hold serve almost at will; Opelka is ranked 68th, 60 spots below Shelton. Shelton is 2-0 against his countryman, though one match featured two tiebreakers and the other finished 7-5 in the third.

Zheng Qinwen arrived at the 2026 BNP Paribas Open with a change to her coaching staff and a clear message about her existing team. The former world No. 4 is in the midst of a comeback after missing much of the 2025 season due to an elbow injury.

Zheng revealed the addition of Marcos Baghdatis to her coaching group, describing the hire as a way to bring fresh perspectives into her preparation. “I hope he can bring me something different and help my tennis improve further,” Zheng said in an exclusive interview with Tencent Sports .

At the same time Zheng moved to dispel speculation about her relationship with long-time head coach Pere Riba. “I know there have been many questions about my coaching team, so let me clarify again. I have not ended my collaboration with Riba,” insisted Zheng, who reportedly unfollowed Riba on Instagram. “I truly have not ended it. He is just temporarily away from the team for a period of rest.”

Zheng’s 2026 season began at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open after she missed the last two major tournaments while recovering. She won back-to-back three-set matches against Sofia Kenin and Alycia Parks before suffering a narrow loss to reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina in the Round of 16.

On-court, Zheng said she has noticed tangible improvements since surgery and rehabilitation. “I do think my serve has improved compared to before,” Zheng told Tencent. “Especially after the surgery, I can feel that my overall physical function has changed. For example, my elbow can fully straighten now, which is different from before. At the same time, I made some small technical adjustments to my movements, and those have been helpful.”

Seeded No. 24 at Indian Wells, Zheng will open against either Antonia Ruzic or Jennifer Brady, with Doha champion Karolina Muchova projected as her seeded opponent in the third round.

The Eisenhower Cup provided an intimate, lively start to the BNP Paribas Open week as many of the tour’s top players left the main courts and packed Stadium 2 on Tuesday night. The event served as a spirited kickoff to the season’s first combined 1000-level tournament, and Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz successfully defended their mixed-doubles crown.

Photographer Matt Fitzgerald returned to the desert after covering the scene last year to capture a mix of on-court moments and sideline atmosphere. Among the images: Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud arriving in matching eyewear, Jasmine Paolini sharing a laugh with Daria Andreeva, and Amanda Anisimova pairing with Tien in their debut together to reach the final.

Alexander Bublik entered as a replacement and teamed up with the defending BNP Paribas Open women’s champion, producing a pair of notable moments. Bublik and Andreeva edged out Jessica Pegula and Paul in a close opening match. One memorable rally included Bublik’s underarm serve, which drew unified reactions after yielding consecutive lets.

Other frames captured the heat of play: Fritz reacting after Ruud charged the net and missed with a long, powerful attempt, and the general buzz around the stands that kept the exhibition lively from start to finish. The sidelines offered as much entertainment as the court, with spontaneous exchanges and candid expressions filling the evening.

At the close of the night, photographers requested a quick trophy lift from Rybakina and Fritz to commemorate their successful title defense. The gallery assembled from Fitzgerald’s images highlights both the competitive edge of the matches and the relaxed camaraderie that defines the Eisenhower Cup.

© Matt Fitzgerald