An injury kept Roger Federer out of last year’s BNP Paribas Open, but not in 2017.
The world’s former No. 1 men’s player will have his shot at both the No. 1 and 2-ranked players, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, respectively, when the BNP runs March 6-19 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Federer is among seven former BNP Paribas Open champions from the entry list released Jan. 24. The announcement kicks off a six-week countdown to the tournament, the first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and WTA Premier Mandatory event of the season. For the 2017 tournament, more than 300 of the world’s best players will descend on Indian Wells and compete for more than $14 million in prize money in front of more than 400,000 fans.
• Roger Returns – Following 15 consecutive trips to Indian Wells, the 17-time Grand Slam Singles Champion and four time BNP Paribas Open singles winner (2004-2006, 2012) was absent in 2016. Federer has looked sharp in 2017, knocking off World No. 10 Tomas Berdych and World No. 5 Kei Nishikori en route to a semifinal matchup with fellow-Swiss Stan Wawrinka at the Australian Open. A fan favorite on the ATP World Tour, Federer has posted 52 match wins at Indian Wells and advanced to the finals in both 2014 and 2015.
• Serena Seeks Third Title – World No. 2, 22-time Grand Slam Singles Champion and two-time BNP Paribas Open winner Serena Williams (1999, 2001) seeks to become the first WTA player to win three singles titles at Indian Wells. After reaching the semifinals in 2015 and finals in 2016, Serena will look to hoist the Indian Wells trophy once again. In addition, her sister Venus Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam Singles Champion, will also return for the second consecutive year.
• Djokovic Looks To Add Fourth Consecutive Crown, Sixth Overall – Novak Djokovic, an 11-time Grand Slam Singles Champion and five-time BNP Paribas Open singles winner (2008, 2011, 2014-2016), looks for his sixth crown at Indian Wells. The World’s No. 2 has posted a remarkable 47-6 record in the desert, including a 5-1 mark in the finals.
• Can the World No. 1’s Hoist Their First Indian Wells Trophy? – World No. 1’s Angelique Kerber and Andy Murray both have major titles to their names, and reached the pinnacle in the rankings last year for the first time. However, they have never captured a title in Indian Wells. Kerber’s best results at the tournament were back-to-back semifinal appearances in 2012 and 2013, while Murray reached the singles final in 2009.