The 2025 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells got underway on Wednesday. Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz will defend their titles from last year at the prestigious tournament. We at LWOT already reported on five players who withdrew from the event before four more withdrew a few days later. Three more players subsequently made late decisions not to play after the draw was made.
Three Players Withdraw Late From BNP Paribas Open
Which Players Have Withdrawn?
Sloane Stephens was the sole women’s player to withdraw from the BNP Paribas Open. She had been given a wild card for the tournament in California, but cannot play because of a foot injury. The 2017 US Open champion is on a ten-match losing streak, but will have to wait until at least the Miami Open to end that barren run. Stephens’ last victory was in the opening round of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships.
Shang Juncheng was the first men’s player to withdraw from the BNP Paribas Open. The Chinese player has not competed since the Australian Open after retiring from his second-round match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Melbourne. Juncheng practiced in Indian Wells and intended to play, but took the late decision to remove himself from the draw.
Facundo Diaz Acosta was the other man to withdraw. The tournament’s social media pages confirmed this was due to an injury, but did not give any other specifics. The Argentine played at last week’s Chile Open and did not seem to have issues at that point. Hopefully, the issue keeping him out of the event in Indian Wells is not serious.
Who Replaces Those Players in the Draw?
Sonay Kartal replaced Stephens at the BNP Paribas Open. She lost in the second round of qualifying after a tight battle with Clervie Ngounoue. Kartal made headlines in September after winning her first WTA title at the Jasmin Open as a qualifier, proving how challenging her game is to handle when she plays her best tennis.
Alexander Shevchenko was another man who entered the main draw due to Juncheng’s decision to withdraw. When it clicks, his aggressive playing style is challenging for most players to handle on hard courts. The Kazakhstani’s main issue has been consistently reaching that level to climb the rankings.
Botic van de Zandschulp takes Diaz Acosta’s place at the BNP Paribas Open. He was comprehensively beaten in the second round of qualifying, but has been given a reprieve. The Dutchman will face Nick Kyrgios in the opening round, with the winner set to face Novak Djokovic.
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
