From Rafa Jr to shopping and football: Indian Wells produces more iconic images (2024)

Rafa junior playing football, ish

Rafael Nadal Jr had already stolen the limelight when his dad was playing Carlos Alcaraz in the Netflix Slam on Monday, and the toddler was at it again in Indian Wells when, helped by a gentle push from his mum, he befriended Jannik Sinner.

Trolleying around

There’s something about the spring sunshine in Indian Wells that makes the players both incredibly relaxed as the tournament begins and also can make them go a little crazy. Here, Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas enjoy a bit of horsing around to make a shopping trip a little more interesting.

Move over Ronaldo

Children in playgrounds around the world try this out on a daily basis and it seems tennis players do too. But if anyone can get away with doing the Cristiano Ronaldo goal celebration, then it’s probably the men’s No 1, Novak Djokovic. Not sure the goal quite merited it, but the celebration was good!

Football always on the menu at Indian Wells

The large grassy area in front of the media centre in Indian Wells is a popular hangout for players and coaches. There’s plenty of stretching going on and gentle warm-ups, but football is always on the menu with the world’s best tennis players unable resist getting stuck in.

Fireworks on and off the court

The tennis usually has enough drama for the visiting fans but just in case, organisers lined up a nice light show on Friday, with fireworks piercing the sky after the sun had gone down.

The selfie queen

And if there’s one thing you can guarantee to find at Indian Wells, it’s the selfie queen herself, LaWanda Watts, a big tennis fan who is so well known and liked by players and coaches that they sometimes seek her out, rather than the other way around!