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Nothing Finer Than Weekday Tennis in the Desert

Martin Parr missed the point. While his tennis photography is iconic, photographing the Grand Slams misses the true heart of tennis culture. The Slams are for show; their prestige (and prize money) commands peak effort and passion from the players, and the fans are there to be entertained. Indian Wells is different.

By Bryson Malone

11:49 AM EDT on March 12, 2025

While the weekends at Indian Wells attract the LA crowd and all of their LA-ness, the weekdays are a glimpse into the essence1 of American tennis. Weekday fans come to play, waking up early to beat the desert heat and get on court with old friends2. This is the version of tennis that I, and so many others, fell in love with as a kid. I went to Ruth Hardy park in search of this soul3, and was immediately welcomed into a magical circle of friends, each with their own story, but brought together by tennis. I came in with a racquet and a camera4, and left with a full heart and sore calves. 

Andre was the first person I met at Ruth Hardy. “If you’re new to tennis, you should not be allowed to touch a racquet until you learn respect and etiquette,” he says.