Event of the Day: BNP Paribas Open
Our event of the day is the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens in Indian Wells, California. There are a number of very exciting matches today. In the men’s quarterfinals, Roger Federer will face Hubert Hurkacz while Rafael Nadal is set to play Karen Khachanov. In the first of the women’s semifinals, Bianca Andreescu will look to keep her unbelievable tournament run alive against Elina Svitolina. You will not want to miss this exciting day of tennis. Roger Federer, a five-time champion at Indian Wells, has appeared in four of the last five tournament finals. However, in his four recent finals appearances, Federer only has a single win - in 2017. Federer came to Indian Wells with one title already this year, having won the Dubai Tennis Championships and was gifted one of the easier draws in the tournament. He is yet to drop a set after easy wins against Peter Gojowczyk, Stan Wawrinka and twenty-second seed Kyle Edmund. Standing between him and the semifinals is the unseeded Hubert Hurkacz. Playing in his first Indian Wells tournament, the twenty-two year old Pole has made a big impression, upsetting three seeded players on the way to today’s quarter-final. Hurkacz is already making waves this season, having won the East Hotel Canberra Challenger and reaching the quarterfinals in Dubai. This will be the first time these two men face one another on the court and what a great setting for it.
Today also sees Rafael Nadal, the highest seed left in the tournament, face a challenge from Karen Khachanov. Nadal is a three time tournament champion but he is without a title since 2013. Nadal will look to build on a solid start to the season, reaching the final of the Australian Open and the round of 16 at the Mexico Open. Khachanov, the twelfth seed, beat eighth seed John Isner to reach his first Indian Wells quarterfinals, a vast improvement on his previous tournament best, the round of 64. He will be eager to correct his current course after four round of 32 losses in 2019. However the odds are stacked against the Russian, who is 0-5 against Nadal. The semifinals of the women’s draw also begin today, with Bianca Andreescu facing Elina Svitolina. Andreescu has had a remarkable season so far. The youngest semi-finalist in a decade, the eighteen-year-old Canadian entered the tournament as a wild card and proceeded to beat three seeded opponents. After winning a title at Newport Beach earlier this year, this is shaping up to be an unforgettable season for the young Canadian, who is also set to break into the top 50 in the world rankings at the end of the tournament. She faces world number 6 Elina Svitolina. Also competing in her first Indian Wells semi-final, Svitolina has had an excellent start to the season with semi-final appearances in Qatar and Dubai as well as a quarter-final appearance at the Australian Open. Svitolina has had an easier draw than her opponent today but that should not take away from the excellent tennis she has played up to this point so far. You will not want to miss any of these matches.
Honourable mentions around the globe go the Cheltenham Festival. It’s the final day of the festival, meaning that the focus will be on the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the premier race at Cheltenham. Native River, jockeyed by Richard Johnson, will look to defend their title from last year, hoping to join the elite club of horses who have won back to back Gold Cups. However, they will face a tough race from last year’s runner-up, Might Bite, and the Irish wildcard and race favourite, Presenting Percy. Given the excitement of the Gold Cup, this is a day of racing you won’t want to miss. Elsewhere, on the Ladies’ European Tour, the South African Women’s Open continues at Westlake Golf Club in Cape Town. The Jerusalem Half Marathon takes place today. In the NBA, the Miami Heat host the Milwaukee Bucks at the AmericanAirlines Arena. In the NRL, the Sydney Roosters host the South Sydney Rabbitohs in a Sydney rivalry match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Photos by BNP Paribas Open