INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA - Should any player complete a sweep at the BNP Paribas Open in 2018 by winning the singles and doubles titles, she will be rewarded with a $1 million bonus in prize money, the tournament announced on Saturday.
The largest combined event in tennis will offer the purse to any ATP or WTA player who completes the feat at this year's event, which gets underway on Monday.
“We want to encourage more of the top singles players to play doubles at the BNP Paribas Open, and therefore are offering a bonus of $1 million in 2018 as a significant incentive,” said tournament director Tommy Haas in a news release on Saturday.
“While we have traditionally had great participation by singles players competing in doubles, we know how much our fans love to watch doubles at our tournament, and we want to give them the best possible doubles fields over the fortnight.”
Only two women have accomplished the feat in tournament history: Lindsay Davenport in 1997 (with Natasha Zvereva) and 2000 (with Corina Morariu), and Vera Zvonareva in 2009 (with Victoria Azarenka).
As of Saturday's announcement, 12 women are entered in both the singles and doubles competitions in Indian Wells. Nine additional teams via six direct acceptances and three wildcards will be added to the field in the coming days.
The doubles draw for the women will be announced on Tuesday, March 6, with play to begin on Wednesday, March 7.
Prize money for both the men’s and women’s singles champion at the 2018 event will be $1,340,860.
