Rain Disrupts Play at Indian Wells, Matches Rescheduled for Friday
Indian Wells may brand itself as Tennis Paradise, but Thursday’s weather told a different story, as rain forced multiple matches to be suspended and eventually canceled for the night.
Two men’s and three women’s matches were interrupted due to adverse conditions, with the tournament confirming they would be rescheduled for Friday. A statement from organizers read:
“Play has been suspended for the night due to rain. All matches still on court will be moved to Friday’s Order of Play.”
The first delay came at 8:20 p.m., halting play for 15 minutes. Action resumed briefly before another stoppage at 8:45 p.m. ultimately sent players back to the locker room.
Among those affected was Quentin Halys, who led Pablo Carreno Busta by a set and looked to be in control before the interruption. He will hope the overnight break doesn’t open the door for a Carreno Busta comeback. Mariano Navone was also leading highly rated teenager Learner Tien 7-5, 2-3, while Julia Grabher had secured a one-set advantage over Iva Jovic. Meanwhile, the matches between Lauren Davis and Elina Avanesyan, as well as Anna Kalinskaya and Alycia Parks, had just begun when the rain set in.
Organizers have now updated Friday’s Order of Play, with the five unfinished matches scheduled to resume following the opening 11 a.m. matches across the first five courts. Fortunately, clear skies and rising temperatures are expected throughout the weekend, providing better playing conditions.
Despite the disruptions, Friday will be a packed day of action, with top names like Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, and Stefanos Tsitsipas kicking off their campaigns. The likes of Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva, Madison Keys, Coco Gauff, and Aryna Sabalenka are set to begin their tournament runs over the weekend.
While the rain was an inconvenience, Indian Wells avoided a larger scheduling crisis, as the disruptions were limited to only a handful of matches rather than a full night of cancellations.
