Why is Indian Wells known as the fifth Grand Slam? | OneFootball

Despite struggling in its early days and even threatening to move to Florida, the Indian Wells tournament has rightfully earned the nickname of the fifth Grand Slam for various reasons, most notably its astonishing complex, the popular ATP and WTA draws featuring 96 players, and its roster of historic champions.

Financed by the IMG group and inaugurated in 2000, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden offers three main stadiums: one that seats 16,000 people, making it the second largest in the world, surpassed only by Arthur Ashe Stadium at the US Open; another with a capacity for 8,000 fans, built in 2014; and the last one accommodating 4,500 spectators, along with 26 secondary courts, including eight practice courts, spread across its 100 hectares.

Additionally, it was the first tournament to install Hawk-Eye technology on all its courts, demonstrating an investment level worthy of a major event.

For years, the players themselves, due to the warmth, amenities, and other factors, have voted Indian Wells as the “Tournament of the Year” at the ATP and WTA awards. When the protagonists feel it’s like a Grand Slam, the public eventually adopts the term as well.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.