By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday March 2, 2023
Sofia Kenin and nine other Americans were awarded wild cards into the 2023 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells on Friday.
2020 Australian Open champion Kenin joins a list that includes 2021 NCAA Division I Singles Champion Emma Navarro; former Top 50 player Ann Li; seven-time WTA Tour doubles champion Caty McNally; Walnut Creek, California native Katie Volynets, who recently reached the third round at the 2023 Australian Open; 2022 NCAA Division I Singles Champion Peyton Stearns and 21-year-old Elizabeth Mandlik, the daughter of four-time Grand Slam champion Hana Mandlikova. Three-time WTA title winner Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine completes the list of Hologic WTA Tour main draw wild cards.
Rising ⭐️’s and familiar faces headline the 2023 BNP Paribas Open wild card lineup 🌴
Full list📝⬇️https://t.co/SuBw3y3XaQ
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 3, 2023
On the ATP side, American Jack Sock received a main draw wild card. Tthe three-time BNP Paribas Open doubles champion will return to Indian Wells after bringing home the title last year alongside partner John Isner.
23-year-old Yibing Wu, who became the first Chinese title winner on the ATP Tour last month in Dallas, has also been awarded a main draw wild card. Wu is also the highest-ranked Chinese player in the history of the ATP Rankings and the first Chinese player to ever enter the Top 60. Former University of Southern California standout Brandon Holt (son of American legend Tracy Austin) and 24-year-old American Alex Kovacevic (University of Illinois All-American and New York City native) are also on the list of ATP main draw wild card recipients. 2019 BNP Paribas Open champion and 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem previously received a main draw wild card and will make his first trip back to the desert since his title run four years ago.
The 2023 BNP Paribas Open begins on Monday, March 6 with ATP and WTA qualifying play. Main draw play will commence on March 8 and the tournament will conclude on Sunday, March 19 with the men’s and women’s singles finals.
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