"Normally in any kind of competition, you get excited and play with a pressure point ... but you don't feel this when you are practicing. I was trying to feel like this a few days ago while practicing with [Tommy Paul,] but instead we got tired and hungry. ... That usually doesn't happen. We just decided to stop and go to eat somewhere."
"While many consider it the "fifth Grand Slam" because of its elite player field, amenities and equal prize money for men and women, professionals acknowledge the tournament is part of a stressful stretch on the tennis calendar. Indian Wells is followed by the Miami Open, another two-week Master 1000 tournament. The tour stops are known as the "Sunshine Double.""
The BNP Paribas Open begins at Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the second-largest outdoor tennis stadium, with top seeds starting play Friday in this 12-day ATP and WTA Master 1000 tournament. Considered the "fifth Grand Slam" due to its elite field and equal prize money for men and women, Indian Wells is followed immediately by the Miami Open in what professionals call the "Sunshine Double." Players face significant fatigue management challenges during this demanding stretch. Some competitors participated in the MGM Grand Slam exhibition in Las Vegas to prepare for consecutive tournaments. Players like Reilly Opelka and Tommy Paul acknowledge that managing exhaustion affects their practice intensity and competition readiness, with fatigue sometimes forcing them to cut training sessions short.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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