Every year that I've attended Indian Wells a.k.a. the BNP Paribas Open, I've seen fans gather at "the lawn" to get tennis balls signed and selfies taken. Affordable grounds passes and accessible players make it easier than usual to get autographs (including on one's face). It's no secret that this tournament, nicknamed "the fifth Grand Slam" and "tennis paradise," is special in its natural beauty, stadiums, and amenities. Additionally, it offers unique communion for tennis fans of all ages.
At "the lawn" and elsewhere, I conversed with fans like LaWanda and the hosts of The Tennis Podcast. I talked to the FILA team about sponsoring the tournament. I loved meeting parents who brought their kids from Canada, the Philippines, and beyond. We joked and discussed tournaments, kits, players, and more. At the end of the day, the "Tennis In Photographs" project is for my fellow tennis fans, so getting to share it with new faces was very gratifying.
I never had anything I really wanted to get signed by players, especially if it meant missing matches, until this year with "Tennis In Photographs." I didn't make a huge effort until a few days in, and in the end, I'm glad I did.
I'm pleased to share that Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur, Barbora Krejcikova, and Katerina Sinakova have now seen and signed copies of the "2022" edition! I hope to get more autographs of the featured players in the coming months and years. My goal would be to sell or auction the signed version and donate the proceeds to youth tennis scholarships.
The situations for each player "signing" were varied and amusing. For Carlos, it was a frenzy among people who had been waiting for him after practice, including many Spanish fans. When he saw and signed the magazine, he smiled. Both he and Iga were accompanied by video cameras, potentially Netflix ones. Ons took her time with every fan, and given our resemblance, I found the courage to ask for a picture. I watched matches with all of the above players, including Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Sinakova, who signed their page outside of the stadiums before being golf-carted away.
The chances of getting autographs from the Big 3 or Serena Williams might seem slim, but if the stars align, it would be amazing to include them in this special signed copy.
Words by Cedar Pasori.
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