The Giddiness of a Girl In Love (and Other Fantasies)

The Buzz

OUCH!: Asked how his knees were doing, James Blake responded, “Like they’ve been on the tour for 10 years.” WISHFUL THINKING: Right after the issuance of tsunami warnings after the tragic Japanese earthquake, we overheard a young Indian Wells fan from Arizona on his cell with his mother, asking if the warnings meant that school [...]

This Djok Is Serious

Djokovic and Wozniacki Win At 'The Happy Masters'

INDIAN WELLS, CALIF. — Tennis tournaments sometimes go viral. A decade ago, the U.S. Open did. Now, in Indian Wells, it’s the BNP Paribas Open’s turn. Speculation that the tournament might be shipped out to China or Arabia seems but a distant memory. Now the tournament has a happy deep-pocket sponsor — a French bank [...]

Desert Warfare: BNP Paribas Open Preview

A Look Ahead At Indian Wells

THE MEN Ivan Ljubicic took us by surprise last year when the 30-year-old Croat took out Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick en route to the BNP Paribas Open title. Not bad, for a follicly challenged old man. But don’t hold your breath is you’re waiting for a repeat. No longer a one-Slam wonder, [...]

The Buzz

'If You Screw Up In Tennis, It's 15-Love. If You Screw Up In Boxing, It's Your Ass, Darling.'

TO EACH HIS OWN: San Diego sports sage Jerry McGhee quipped, “Tennis is nothing but boxing with a ball. But boxer Randall “Tex” Cobb thought otherwise, noting, “If you screw up in tennis, it’s 15-Love. If you screw up in boxing, it’s your ass, darling.”

Hit and Snit for Haiti

It’s a simple feel-good formula. At tennis exos, players show off their best strokes, trick shots and standard comedic riffs, plus there’s a little repartee — all in order to raise money for good causes. And the Indian Wells Hit For Haiti on Friday night March 11th was even better. The stunning opening act featured [...]

BNP Paribas Open Preview

The Dirty Dozen: 6 Men / 6 Women Who Could Win It

There’s a new sheriff in town.  In December, Oracle co-founder/CEO Larry Ellison bought the BNP Paribas Open from an ownership group headed by Charlie Pasarell and Ray Moore, quashing rumors that the combined ATP/WTA event — which each year pulls in more fans than any other tournament outside of the Slams  might be headed to [...]

New Indian Wells Boss?

Oracle Founder Ellison Looks to Acquire BNP Paribas Open

On the heels of reports that the BNP Paribas Open will be sold by Charlie Pasarell, Ray Moore and a group of investors (including the USTA) to billionaire Oracle founder Larry Ellison, insiders told Inside Tennis that the deal was not yet complete, that the “ink was not dry, although they’re very, very close.”  According [...]