Defending champ Carlos Alcaraz to face former champs Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as the Indian Wells Masters entry list is announced

Former champs Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will return to the Indian Wells Masters as they prepare for another battle with the young guns of the Tour.

Defending champ Carlos Alcaraz to face former champs Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as the Indian Wells Masters entry list is announced

Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal (Credits: IMAGO)

It is official. The entry list for the 2024 Indian Wells Masters is out, and former champs Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal both feature on it. Defending champ Carlos Alcaraz is also on the list and will likely be the second seed. 

Djokovic returns to the competition for the first time since 2019. The 2020 event was canceled due to the pandemic. Nole refused to turn up for the event in 2021 due to the strict restrictions in the USA. In 2022 and 2023, he was not allowed to play due to being non-vaccinated against COVID-19.

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As for Nadal, he had to miss the 2023 edition after injuring himself at the 2023 Australian Open during his title defense. He was a finalist at Indian Wells in 2022. His withdrawal in 2023 resulted in him leaving the Top-10 for the first time since 2005. Having missed the AO this year, Nadal will be well-rested and should turn up for the event. 

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Elsewhere, last year’s runner-up Daniil Medvedev, reigning Australian Open winner Jannik Sinner, and former champs Taylor Fritz and Cameron Norrie are the other big names at this year’s event. 2019 winner Dominic Thiem has been listed on the list of alternates. If he gets a wildcard for the main draw, it remains to be seen.

Why is Indian Wells called the ‘fifth Grand Slam’ of tennis?

The Indian Wells Masters is one of the biggest tournaments on the calendar. The Masters-1000 event is held in the Californian desert.

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz with the 2023 Indian Wells Masters trophy (Credits: Roland Garros)

Behind the Arthur Ashe Stadium at the US Open, the Indian Wells stadium is the second largest permanent stadium in terms of capacity. It is even bigger than the Centre Court of Wimbledon.

Even the Indian Wells trophy is one of the heaviest trophies on the Tour. The all-glass sculpture resembles the logo of BNP Paribas, the current sponsor of the tournament. It is also the most attended event on the Tour and is just behind the Grand Slam of tennis.

All of the top players try to make their way to the tournament. Given the big importance and big crowd that it pulls, the tournament is often dubbed the fifth Grand Slam of the sport.

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