March 17, (THEWILL) – The Indian Wells tennis tournament established a new attendance record with 504,268 spectators attending the two-week event, tournament officials have announced. This figure surpasses the previous record of 493,440 set during the 2024 competition.
Known unofficially as the fifth Grand Slam, the popular California desert tournament has been voted the favourite ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 event by players for 10 consecutive years. The palm tree-lined Indian Wells Tennis Garden attracts large numbers of fans each March.
Russian teenager, Mirra Andreeva, and English talent, Jack Draper, claimed the singles titles at this year’s tournament. Additionally, French bank BNP Paribas confirmed on Friday that it has extended its title sponsorship agreement with the tournament through 2029.
The tournament, founded in 1974, underwent significant transformation after American billionaire Larry Ellison purchased it for $100 million in 2009. Since the acquisition, Ellison has invested tens of millions of dollars into what is now referred to as “Tennis Paradise.”
The event continues to grow in popularity among both spectators and competitors, solidifying its position as one of tennis’s premier non-Grand Slam tournaments with its record-breaking attendance figures and continued investment.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
