INDIAN WELLS, CA – As one of the most anticipated tour events on the ATP and WTA Tours outside of the Grand Slams, the 2023 BNP Paribas Open will once again bring many of the Tour’s top stars to tennis paradise for two weeks of must-watch action.
However, before the action begins, several current and former NCAA student-athletes will look to cement their spot in the singles main draw of the Tournament as qualifying play officially gets underway on Monday.
In total, twelve current and former student-athletes will be a part of the qualifying action as they try to join the numerous former student athletes who are already in the Singles Main Draw of the 2023 BNP Paribas Open.
Across the Men’s Qualifying Draw, many former collegiate greats look to continue on their great post-college careers in Indian Wells over these next few weeks.
Included in the field are two former NCAA Singles National Champions in Steve Johnson (USC) and Bradley Klahn (Stanford). Johnson enters the BNP Paribas Open as a seeded player in the Qualifying Draw.
Fresh off of another strong showing at his home slam in Australia, Rinky Hijikata (North Carolina) will look to continue his impressive transition from the collegiate game to the professional in Indian Wells. The 22-year-old won the 2023 Australian Open Doubles Title and reached a career-high ATP Singles Ranking just a few weeks after.
The current USC enrollee, Learner Tien, will look to make his first ATP Masters Main Draw appearance after an impressive junior career. Tien who is in his first semester with the Trojans was a Runner-Up in the Boy’s Draw at the Australian Open and reached the Quarterfinals of the Boy’s Draw at Wimbledon.
In the Women’s Qualifying Draw, Leolia Jeanjean (Lynn, Baylor, Arkansas) and Diana Shnaider (NC State) make up the collegiate players in the field.
For Jeanjean, she continues her professional surge after her breakout performance at the 2022 French Open. The former Division II standout, reached a career-high singles ranking earlier this year and continues to improve each and every time out.
Finally, for Shnaider, she is another active collegiate player who is set to compete in Indian Wells this week. After nearly taking down World No. 6 Maria Sakkari at the Australian Open, Shnaider became the first active collegiate player to break the WTA Top 100 since 1993.
These players will begin the first half of the Sunshine Double later today when Qualifying play begins. Main Draw play is set to begin on March 8th from Indian Wells, California.
Collegiate Players In Men’s Singles Qualifying
- Tennys Sandgren, Tennessee, No. 224
- Rinky Hijikata, North Carolina, No. 130
- Nuno Borges, Mississippi State, No. 80
- Borna Gojo, Wake Forest, No. 127
- Emilio Gomez, USC, No. 92
- Aleksandar Vukic, Illinois, No. 186
- Steve Johnson, USC, No. 137
- Bradley Klahn, Stanford, No. 770
- Learner Tien, USC, No. 785
- Christopher Eubanks, Georgia Tech, No. 108
Collegiate Players In Women’s Singles Qualifying
- Leolia Jeanjean, Lynn/Baylor/Arkansas, No. 112
- Diana Shnaider, NC State, No. 94
We in Virginia are very proud that Danielle Collins played at and graduated from the University of Virginia. That immediately tells you two things about her: she must of been a very bright student to get in, and she must have been a top junior player to have been on the team. Win or lose, we’re behind her. Who couldn’t be given her positive attitude towards life? From seeing her on TV and pictures of her, she appears to be someone who sees the glass of life at least half full. Such a person needs and deserves support. Go Hoo’s!!!