Indian Wells
WORLD NO. 1 SERENA WILLIAMS ACCEPTS WILDCARD INTO BNP PARIBAS OPEN
Two-Time BNP Paribas Open Champion and
19-Time Grand Slam Singles Champion Enters Tournament
World No. 1 Serena Williams has accepted a wild card into the BNP Paribas Open, the largest ATP World Tour and WTA combined two-week event in the world to be held March 9-22, 2015 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, it was announced today by BNP Paribas Open and Indian Wells Tennis Garden Chief Executive Officer Ray Moore.
Williams, a two-time Champion at the BNP Paribas Open (1999, 2001), has captured 19 Grand Slam singles titles in her career, including the 2015 Australian Open.
“We are thrilled that Serena Williams, one of the greatest women players in the history of the game, is returning to play in the BNP Paribas Open,” said Moore. “We know our fans will welcome her for the magnificent champion that she is, and we really look forward to watching her compete again at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.”
In addition, Williams announced she is offering fans an opportunity to be her guest at the BNP Paribas Open. Fans who donate $10 or more to Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), an organization that provides legal representation to individuals who have been denied fair and just treatment in the legal system, will be entered in a drawing to win a trip to Indian Wells and sit courtside during her first match, have the opportunity to return one of her serves during a practice session, and take home one of her racquets. For details and other experiences being offered, and to enter, visit http://www.omaze.com/experiences/Serena-Williams.
For more information about the BNP Paribas Open, or to purchase tickets, visit www.bnpparibasopen.com, call 800-999-1585 or come to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden Box Office at 78-200 Miles Avenue, Indian Wells, Calif., 92210.
About the BNP Paribas Open
The BNP Paribas Open is the largest ATP World Tour and WTA combined two-week event in the world, and is held annually at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The site has undergone a significant expansion that includes a new permanent Stadium 2 with 8,000 seats and three restaurants, including world-renowned Nobu; four more practice courts, an additional 19,000 square foot shade structure, and more. The tournament offers more than $10 million in prize money, and is the only event to provide the Hawkeye line challenge system on all match courts, including qualifying rounds. In 2014, more than 431,000 people attended the event. For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.bnpparibasopen.com, call 800-999-1585 or come to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden Box Office at 78-200 Miles Avenue, Indian Wells, Calif., 92210.
About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas (www.bnpparibas.com) has a presence in nearly 80 countries with 190,000 employees, including 145,000 in Europe. It ranks highly in its three core activities: Retail Banking, Investment Solutions and Corporate & Investment Banking. In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the leader in consumer lending. BNP Paribas is rolling out its integrated retail banking model across Mediterranean basin countries, in Turkey, in Eastern Europe and a large network, Bank of the West, in the western part of the United States. In its Corporate & Investment Banking and Investment Solutions activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas and solid and fast- growing businesses in Asia-Pacific.
Topics: Atp World Tour, BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, Serena Williams, Tennis, Wta
#TENNIS NEWS: @BNPPARIBASOPEN – WORLD NO. 1 @serenawilliams ACCEPTS #WildCard INTO TOURNAMENT IN #IndianWells- http://t.co/nf9rKXmuTa