Initially, the "fifth Grand Slam" should be Miami. After all, the status, scale, lineup, etc. of the "Sunshine Double" are unique in the year-round tour.
However, as time progresses, the two events in Miami and Indian Wells gradually follow different development curves and change the pattern.
Miami's development is lagging behind, the scene is dilapidated, the scale is stagnant, the equipment has not been updated for a long time, and it is slowly showing its fatigue. The Caribbean wind is eroding this slow and leisurely city, and the development of the event is also slowing down; in stark contrast,
Indian Wells:
Develop in an all-round way and keep pace with the times. Not only does it actively mobilize sponsorship funds, but the entire plan is very clear and comprehensive.
There are four large and medium-sized "grandstand courts" of different levels, all competition venues are equipped with Hawkeye systems, and the equipment and services are continuously updated, which is comparable to the Australian Open, which has been the most willing to spend money on venue upgrades among the four Grand Slams in recent years.
It is precisely because of this that Indian Wells came from behind and gradually replaced Miami's status. Starting in the past few years, the title of "Fifth Grand Slam" has quietly shifted, and finally fell on Indian Wells -
—
In 2014, Indian Wells won the ATP Tour of the Year title for the first time.
After that, this title never changed hands, and it never changed hands until the end of history that Gawain knew well, once again proving the excellence of this event.
In addition, there is one very, very important thing:
Tournament prize money.
Just like Dubai's dominance in the 500-level events, Indian Wells and Miami are also unique in the Masters level.
Throughout the year, the ATP has a total of nine Masters tournaments, and North America occupies four seats, namely Indian Wells, Miami, Cincinnati and Canada.
Take 2015 as an example.
The total prize money of Cincinnati is US$4.5 million, and the total prize money of Canada is US$4 million. For the same competition, the total prize money of Miami is US$6.3 million, and that of Indian Wells is US$710.
One hundred thousand dollars.
To put it simply, even if you are eliminated in the first round, there is a significant difference in the prize money of the tournament.
Looking at all tournaments except the four majors throughout the year, the total prize money of Indian Wells tops the list.
In other words, the points for the nine Masters tournaments throughout the year are all the same, with the champion receiving 1,000 points and the runner-up receiving 600 points, but the prize money for the tournament is significantly different.
Then, the change in intention to participate can be foreseen.
Therefore, whether they are high-ranking players or low-ranking players, they all list the "Sunshine Double Championship" as a must-participate game in the first quarter.
In 2017, there was a real dead zone in the Indian Wells draw:
In Zone 4/4, six players including Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Del Potro, Zverev Jr. and Kyrgios all entered the same zone.
With such a draw, it is difficult to see even in the major championships, but the appearance of Indian Wells is indeed a rare sight.
So, who stood out in the end that year?
Federer defeated Nadal, Kyrgios defeated Djokovic, and reached the quarterfinals; then Kyrgios retired, sending Federer to the semifinals.
The Swiss King, who was waiting for work, performed well in the follow-up and won two more games in a row to reach the championship.
Of course, there is another extra point:
Game atmosphere.
Like Melbourne, Indian Wells is known as the "Tennis Paradise". The biggest reason is the enthusiasm and craziness of the audience.
Every year during the event, audiences from all over the North American continent flock to join the carnival just like attending the Coachella Music Festival.
The "fifth Grand Slam" can compete with the Grand Slam in all aspects. From popularity to treatment, it is basically the level of the Grand Slam. This also directly proves the current status of Indian Wells in the tour——
Perhaps, Miami still refuses to admit the change of ownership of this title, but facts speak louder than words, and Indian Wells has won its own praise.
Of course, it is precisely because Miami and Indian Wells both shine that the status of the "Sunshine Double" is so special.
No matter whether it is a male player or a female player, no one wants to miss it.
Just look at the list of applicants:
Among the men's players, ranked among the top twenty in the world, only Tsonga is absent due to injury, and all the others are on the field——
Among them, Cilic also chose to come back in Indian Wells.
Last year, after reaching the finals of the US Open and setting the best record of his career, Cilic had bad luck. No one expected that he would end the season with two consecutive losses, and then suffered from shoulder injuries.
Missed the entire Australian season.
It wasn't until March that he came back, but I don't know what his condition is.
Among the female players, ranked among the top 20 in the world, only Kvitova and Venus Williams were absent due to injuries, while all others were present.
It can be seen from this registration list alone that the players attach great importance to this event and it can be said that they treat it with a Grand Slam attitude.
In fact, Tsonga and Kvitova also arrived in Indian Wells early to train here and try to check their condition.
It was not until the last moment when the draw came out that I realized that my body could not bear the intensity of the competition, so I had no choice but to withdraw from the competition.
This move also proved that they would not be absent if possible.
It is precisely because of this that the small town of Indian Wells started to get noisy early——
One week before the main competition begins, the qualifying rounds have already begun.
And, that's not all.
Even if they lose in the qualifying round, those low-ranked players will not turn around and leave immediately. Firstly, they are waiting for the opportunity of the lucky losers; secondly, they are waiting to see if any of the players at the top of the world rankings retire due to injuries.
In this case, once they are injured and retired, they can supplement their qualifications.
Note that seeded players are not required. Even if non-seeded players are unable to participate, the vacant draw will still require substitute players.
The only prerequisite is that you are present.
Just like the rules for lucky losers, the tournament will not notify players who are not present individually by phone, but will list the world rankings based on the list of players staying in Indian Wells and fill them in order.
So, occasionally something like this happens:
Suppose there is a player ranked 99th in the world and a player ranked 130th in the world.
Ninety-nine people can participate in the qualifying round and successfully enter the final round. As long as they win, they can enter the main competition.
No. 130 didn't even have the opportunity to wait for the qualifying round, but he still arrived in Indian Wells to wait.
Then, if someone withdraws from the registration form, the organizer of the event will make a list, and according to the order of priority, 130 people will be filled.
At the same time, the final round of qualifying ended, and ninety-nine people were eliminated, and even the lucky losers did not get a chance.
Similar situations happen often, but they require more or less luck.
Therefore, before the draw for the tournament was officially released, Indian Wells started to be lively about a week in advance, with bustling crowds filling the entire town and continuing until all the games in the first round were over——
If you retire due to injury in the second and third rounds, you will win without a fight and no substitutes will be needed.