Iga Świątek, Taylor Fritz headline star-studded cast for Eisenhower Cup at Indian Wells
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Iga Świątek, the top-ranked player in women’s tennis, and fellow returning BNP Paribas Open champion Taylor Fritz are set to headline a star-studded cast of players who will participate at this year’s Eisenhower Cup at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
The annual event, which will take place under the lights of Stadium 2 on March 7, will introduce a mixed doubles format this year for the first time in the one-night Tie Break Tens event.
The event will feature top-ranked stars of both the ATP and WTA Tours pairing up, including many from the same country, to compete in a one-off charitable event on the eve of main draw action at the 2023 BNP Paribas Open.
The winning mixed doubles team will be awarded $200,000, with all proceeds for the event going to Coachella Valley charitable organizations. The event has raised more than $300,000 for local charities in its past three iterations.
Tickets for the event, which will start at 7:15 p.m., are on sale now and start at $50 apiece. Parking for the event is free.
Świątek, the 21-year-old Polish tennis star who has already won three Grand Slams, will team up with countryman Hubert Hurkacz, the 10th-ranked player in the men’s game.
Taylor Fritz, the top-ranked American in the men’s game, will team with Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus. Sabalenka, the second-ranked woman in the world, is fresh off of an Australian Open win in January.
British tennis star Emma Raducanu, who won the 2021 U.S. Open, will be paired with countryman Cam Norrie, who won the BNP Paribas Open the same year.
Leylah Fernandez, who reached the U.S. Open final with Raducanu, will be paired with fellow Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, the eighth-ranked player in the men’s game.
Top-ranked American Jessica Pegula, who is fourth in the women’s game, will team with American Tommy Paul, who reached the semifinals at the Australian Open earlier this year. Third-ranked Ons Jabeur of Tunisia, will be teamed with Casper Ruud of Norway, the fourth-ranked player in the ATP.
Third-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas will be teamed with fellow Greek player Maria Sakkari, who is the seventh-ranked player in the women’s game.
One additional mixed doubles pairing will be announced prior to the event.
“We are thrilled that The Eisenhower Cup will return for a fourth time to serve as a meaningful charitable event to ring in two weeks of exciting action in Tennis Paradise,” said Tommy Haas, the BNP Paribas Open tournament director. “Tennis fans will be treated to the brightest stars of both tours pairing up for a fun and unique mixed doubles event, and we extend our sincerest thank you to all players for their participation in supporting this great cause.”
The fast-paced, innovative Tie Break Tens format consists of first to ten-point tie-break matches. The event will be an eight-team single-elimination draw, with a total of seven matches being held over the course of the evening at Stadium 2. Gates will open for the event at 5:45 on March 7.
Eisenhower Cup ticketholders will be able to access the grounds early and gain admission to the BNP Paribas Open qualifying days taking place all-day on March 7 before the nighttime event. The 2023 BNP Paribas Open will be held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 6 to 19.
Andrew John covers sports in the Coachella Valley for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Iga Świątek, Taylor Fritz headline star-studded cast for Eisenhower Cup
