Sinner Suspended as BNP Paribas Open Begins at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — The BNP Paribas Open kicks off Wednesday on the hard courts of Indian Wells, California, marking the first ATP Masters 1000 tournament of 2025 and the third WTA 1000 event of the year. This tournament starts the first half of the Sunshine Double, with play shifting to Miami shortly after.

A total of 96 players will compete in both the men’s and women’s draws, with the top 32 seeds receiving byes into the second round. Every match in the BNP Paribas Open will be played in a best-of-three sets format, the standard for WTA events, differing from the best-of-five sets format used in men’s Grand Slams.

The most notable absence from the tournament is men’s world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is currently serving a three-month suspension due to a violation involving the banned substance Clostebol. This suspension arose after WADA concluded that Sinner had inadvertently ingested the substance through a physiotherapist’s treatment. The remaining men’s draw remains largely intact, with only No. 47 Alexander Bublik missing from the top 50 players.

On the women’s side, several players are notably absent, including Ashleigh Barty due to a back injury and Emma Raducanu with a foot issue. Recently, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has returned to the WTA Tour following the birth of her first child and will compete.

<p"Sinner's absence leaves a significant void in the men’s competition, where Carlitos Alcaraz emerges as the favorite, despite a less-than-stellar start to his season. Alcaraz, who is the two-time defending champion, will look to reclaim his momentum. His forehand return has been scrutinized, but the slower hard court conditions at Indian Wells could work to his advantage, allowing him extra time to respond to opponents’ serves.

Alcaraz holds the best betting odds in the men’s field according to DraftKings Sportsbook, where he opens with +250. He could potentially face recent Australian Open semi-finalist Daniil Medvedev later in the tournament.

Novak Djokovic, the No. 6 seed, faces a challenging path as he returns from a hamstring injury sustained during the Australian Open. Djokovic will need to prove his health throughout the tournament, and at +650, he is seen as another strong contender.

For the women’s tournament, Aryna Sabalenka is considered the favorite at +400, despite recent discrepancies in form. Sabalenka began the year strong but now faces pressure to regain her competitive edge after losing early in previous tournaments.

Iga Swiatek, seeded No. 2, also carries expectations after winning the title in 2022 and 2024. With early round matchups potentially against tough competitors, her path will be closely monitored as she seeks her first title of 2025.

The stage is set for an exciting competition in Indian Wells, with top players vying for the championship and the chance to gain momentum as the season progresses. The first matches will undoubtedly set the tone for an action-packed tournament.