It was a field trip for the ages for members of the BOHS boys’ and girls’ tennis programs who trekked 105 miles to witness the world’s top tennis players in action at Indian Wells.
The Indian Wells Open, held from March 3 to 17, is the world’s largest combined mens’ and womens’ professional tennis tournament. This year’s event features 2021 U.S. Open winner Emma Raducanu, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, and five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams.
Being able to watch and “share the same air with incredible players such as Taylor Fritz, Coco Gauff, Ben Shelton, and Andy Murray was surreal,” Kathryn Sim, junior and girls’ varsity team manager, said.
To make the event possible for the 50 attendees, the tennis program has fundraised since the beginning of the girls’ fall season.
“We went around and asked for money from family, friends, community members, and strangers. We really appreciate our supporters,” Sim said.
The event hosts top-ranked players from the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tours to compete in both mens’ and womens’ singles, as well as mens’, womens’, and mixed doubles rounds for prize money totaling nearly $18,000,000. Top-ranked players like Carlo Alcaraz, ranked No. 1 by the ATP, and Coco Gauff, ranked No. 1 in doubles by the WTA, are also competing in the event.
Sim views the trip to the tournament as “a testament to how far [the tennis] team has come as a legitimate program.” Sim said, “It’s a luxury we previously would not have had the resources, organizational skills, or money to be able to do.”
Team members traveled as a caravan in groups of three to six people to watch the matches. In between games, students participated in activities, such as a station that tested the speed of their serves, and enjoyed the storied venue’s vendors.
The highlight for some of the program’s players, however, was the opportunity to bond with teammates.
Ashley Yang, junior, liked “being able to see the teammates who aren’t there as much during practice come together” to attend the event.
Girls’ tennis is currently in off-season, while the boys are in the midst of their spring campaign.
“My favorite part of this trip was bonding with some of my favorite people and making core memories because this is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Nikki Albano, sophomore, said.
Some lucky team members took photographs with professional players like Andy Murray, former world number one singles player in 2016, and Benson Shelton, the 2016 USTA junior champion in doubles.
“Seeing the professionals play gave me inspiration to play better in future matches,” Chan Hwang, junior and boys’ varsity captain, said.
Sim concurred: “We went out with the intention of watching good tennis, and to continue to be inspired to progress our program.”
Boys’ varsity, who currently stand at 4 and 3 on the season, will have an opportunity to use that inspiration on March 12 when they face the Esperanza Aztecs.
