It’s March and that means the BNP Paribas Open is underway at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Celebrating its 50th year, the event remains the largest two-week combined WTA and ATP tournament outside of the four Grand Slams. We’ll be chronicling the action on and off the court daily in Indian Wells as nearly all of the top 75 men’s and women’s players put on a show for the next two weeks.

After long wait, Novak Djokovic returns to action Saturday

It’s a match five years in the making, World No. 1 Novak Djokovic makes his return to the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells for the first time in five years.

Djokovic, a five-time winner of this event (2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016) sharing the record with Roger Federer, has a remarkable winning percentage here. His record is 50-9 overall, meaning he wins 84.75% of his matches, the best ever at Indian Wells. Aleksandar Vukic of Austria will be his first-round opponent today in the third match on Stadium 1.

How’s this for a Stadium 1 slate today? If you park yourself there in the morning and stay all day, you will see, in order, Coco Gauff, Taylor Fritz, Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka and Daniil Medvedev. That’s why the first Saturday of the tournament is often the most packed day in the stands and on the surrounding roads around the Tennis Garden. If you have a ticket, leave home early.

Novak Djokovic works on his game during a session on Practice Court 2 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., Mar. 6, 2024.

Ben Shelton dials up win over youngster

No. 16 seed Ben Shelton is not used to looking around and being the elder statesman on the tennis court. But that’s the position he found himself in Friday.

The 21-year-old lefthander who was born in Atlanta faced a younger opponent in 18-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik for his second round match in Indian Wells.

“I was just in the locker room talking to somebody saying, ‘Yeah, this is the first time I’ve played someone who’s younger than me and not around my same age,” Shelton said. “I’ve played Carlos (Alcaraz) and Holger (Rune) who are like a year (younger), and played Arthur Fils, who’s like a year and a half (younger).

“But three years younger, it’s really impressive what that kid is doing and brings to the table as an 18-year-old.”

Mensik has jumped more than 300 places in the rankings since the beginning of 2023 and gave World No. 15 Shelton all he could handle. After dropping the first set, Shelton went on to earn a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory to advance to Sunday’s third-round match against No. 22 seed Francisco Cerundolo.

Ben Shelton celebrates a point against Jakub Mensik during round two of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., Friday, March 8, 2024.

Rancho Mirage’s Desirae Krawczyk wins in doubles

Doubles player and Rancho Mirage native Desire Krawczyk won her first match at this year’s BNP Paribas Open on Friday. With partner and fellow American Caroline Dolehide, the pair defeated Greet Minnen of the Netherlands and Monica Niculescu of Romania, 6-3, 5-7, 11-9.

Krawczyk, who played at Palm Desert High School, and Dolehide will play again Sunday.

Krawczyk, 30, has previously won mixed doubles titles at Wimbledon, Roland Garros and the U.S. Open.

Desirae Krawczyk smiles to her partner, Caroline Dolehide, after their first-round doubles match of BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., Friday, March 8, 2024.

American takes down sixth-ranked Ons Jabeur

Katie Volynets, a 22-year-old from Walnut Creek, California, secured the biggest win over her young career on Friday evening, beating the three-time Grand Slam finalist from Tunisia, 6-4, 6-4, inside Stadium 2 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Volynets had previously beaten just one other top 10 player. She upset then ninth-ranked Veronika Kudermetova of Russia at the 2023 Australian Open.

“I’m also so honored to play Ons – I’ve been watching her on TV for years,” Volynets told the crowd after her win.

Volynets will now play Grand Slam champion Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark on Sunday.

Nines were wild on Friday

At this level of tennis, it’s hard to win nine games in a row. That’s a full set and a half, 75% of the way to a victory. Despite that, it happened Friday in three of the five matches on Stadium 1. Statistically remarkable.

In the first match of the day, Jannik Sinner, the Australian Open champion, was tied 3-3 with Thanassi Kokkinakis and then won nine straight games to end the match 6-3, 6-0.

Remarkably, in the second match of the day, Iga Swiatek did the exact same thing. She and Danielle Collins were tied 3-3 before she went on to win the final nine for a 6-3, 6-0 win.

In the night session, Carlos Alcaraz lost the first set to Matteo Arnaldi, and then he won nine straight games to regain control of the match which he won 6-7, 6-0, 6-1.