DISCOVERY AT INDIAN WELLS BY CRAIG CIGNARELLI

Written by: Staff on 14th March 2015

DISCOVERY AT INDIAN WELLS BY CRAIG CIGNARELLI |

Photo by Brett Connors Photography.

Found: Black tennis racquet of no apparent brand, un-logoed strings, weighted to 352 grams, and head heavy

On the desert floor of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the racket handle peers out from amongst the cacti and discarded sunscreen tubes. The grip is still moist, as though someone large and sweaty has handled it with force and then tossed it for something more workable. When I feel its weight, I know it is pro material. And so my search for its owner begins.

There are four practice courts on site here, each hosting two soaked professional

athletes battling it out under the 90+ sun. I hold the stick skyward, catching each ones eye in search of ownership. No takers.

Like a divining rod, the racket tugs me toward the outer show courts, where the week’s sparse spectating crowds are in the low triple digits, their wide-brimmed hats and mustard-attacked faces taking in the supra-50 ATP competitors. I glance toward the racket bags and see stencils and brands, an indication that these guys are happy with their current sponsors and unlikely to be the racket’s proprietor.

Again, the racket tugs. This time, it’s the stadium, where Czech beauty, Daniela Hantuchova is competing in spandex so tight, crocodile-ish old men have to shift their seats and teenage boys are sneaking photos from slumped positions. Daniela, however, uses Prince, and seems to be wielding it skillfully enough to win on this day. Three hours have passed and I’m still stuck holding the weapon.

It is now afternoon and the Garden’s palm trees fight against a stiff wind, while the desert’s dusty mountain shadows take on the color of old leather. My search has been fruitless and I’m heading over to Charlie Pasarell’s office to leave it with his team. Before Larry Ellison bought it, Charlie ran this tournament for almost a quarter century, and if anyone can find the racket’s owner, it’s him.

Twenty paces away from the door, a voice calls out. I turn to see a large Serbian man running at me with a finger in the air and a coaching pass dangling from a lanyard around his neck. Moj sin je, he says, and based on the yearning eyes of the child standing next to him, I’m guessing that means it is his son’s racket. With the smile of relief, I hand it over and he thanks me with a hands-pressed-together bow.

Two hours later, I exit the stadium for the long trek to my car. On court 10, the Serbian coach is hitting cross-courts with his little boy. After six strokes, I can see the kid is already way better than me.

“Vaš sin, (Your son)” I call out, “kako se zove?” (what’s his name?)

He laughs at my mangled Serbian and replies, “The future.”

Topics: 2015 Indian Wells, BCP, BNP Paribas Open, Brett Connors Photography, Craig Ciganrelli, Tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

March 14, 2015 at 9:36 pm

DISCOVERY AT #IndianWells BY @CraigCignarelli- http://t.co/tLKIr1IAcp #tennis #indianwellstennisgarden #BNPParibas #BNPPO15