One of the most hotly-anticipated tennis tournaments outside of the four Grand Slams is just around the corner.

Indian Wells, known as the “fifth Grand Slam”, is a WTA 1000 event and subsequently attracts some of the best talent in tennis.

The tournament was held in October last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but has now moved back to its usual spot in March.

As a result, GiveMeSport Women runs through everything you need to know about the upcoming tournament.

When is Indian Wells?

Indian Wells is scheduled to start next Monday, on March 7th, with women’s qualifying matches.

The women’s first round will then begin on March 9th, with the tournament running until March 20th.

Matches will likely take place in the late evening and early morning UK time.

Where is Indian Wells?

The Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California hosts the prestigious hard-court tournament.

The complex has 29 tennis courts, including the 16,100-seat main stadium, which is the second largest tennis-specific stadium in the world.

Who’s playing at Indian Wells?

Indian Wells attracts the best players in the world, with injury normally the only reason for skipping the tournament.

As a result, nearly all of the world’s top 10 in women’s tennis will all be present. This includes defending champion Paula Badosa and Qatar Open winner Iga Świątek.

Anett Kontaveit, who has reached seven WTA finals in as many months, is another on the start list. Naomi Osaka will also be competing after receiving a wildcard for the tournament.

Amanda Anisimova and Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins will have the backing of the crowd as they seek to win a title on home soil.

World number one Ashleigh Barty will be missing from the tournament, however. The Australian announced last week that she is not currently at the “level necessary” to win tournaments, and subsequently pulled out of Indian Wells.

Will Emma Raducanu be playing at Indian Wells?

Emma Raducanu has been included on the start list for Indian Wells, but her participation is currently in doubt after she sustained a hip injury at the Abierto Akron Zapopan.

She was forced to retire from her first round match against Daria Saville, and subsequently pulled out of the Monterrey Open, another WTA 250 event in Mexico.

Raducanu has travelled to California and has been spotted training for the upcoming tournament, suggesting she may have recovered from her injury. If she is fit to compete, Raducanu will get a bye into the second round.

When is the Indian Wells draw?

The draw for Indian Wells will take place on March 7th from 3pm to 4pm on March 7. In total, 96 players will be involved in the draw, with 32 seeds.

How to watch Indian Wells?

UK viewers will be able to watch Indian Wells on Amazon Prime Video.