As the first round of the WTA action got off to a rocky start with rain delays Wednesday in Indian Wells, top seeds enjoyed a fully packed media day and some abbreviated practices.
World number one, the Polish Iga Swiatek was enjoying a slow start. The 2022 BNP Paribas Open champion took two days off and described herself as “fresh and ready to compete.” Before coming to Indian Wells, she had a mini vacation in Malibu to go shopping and check out the beach. The top seed spent another day relaxing by the pool before getting back onto the court.
The 22-year-old pointed out a key way that this California tournament is different from other 1000-level events on the calendar: “Here you have all these sponsors, shoes, all these obligations we have to fulfill.” Famous for its scenic backdrops and a plethora of country clubs with rentable tennis courts, sponsors choose the preceding week to film commercials and shoot photos that will be used for the rest of the season. This creates a significant distraction that sought-after players do not otherwise have outside of majors.
Coco Gauff had a very different kind of photoshoot at her home in Florida recently. The 19-year-old American will grace the cover of Vogue in April. In her humble nature, the third seed immediately linked the…
