The BNP Paribas Open & Templeton Tennis Ranch

^{Finalist Usue Arconada whips a backhand cross court while Lauren Davis gets to work in a tough first round matchup.}

A brisk morning delights in Templeton, California, but the harsh sunlight beaming through the coastal live oaks emphasizes that the heat is here at Templeton Tennis Ranch. As you drive to the facility, a large gem sparkles from the highway, signposting the ranch to locals and passers-by alike. Nestled in San Luis Obispo’s “North County,” the surrounding area is dominated by vineyards, wineries, and various agricultural endeavors. Though not explicitly coastal, the TTR site feels resort-like, both prestigious and welcoming. From the parking lot, the crisp thud of professional ball-striking echoes out to the visitors trickling in. Outside the grounds, a pop-up displays the words, “Love All,” calling to action the players and fans.

^{View of the grounds and desert backdrop of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif.}

It’s an entirely different perspective on the professional scene as opposed to the SoCal amusement park that is the BNP Paribas Open down in Indian Wells, and not just when it comes to ticket pricing. As you enter the latter, various vehicles shuffle into the labyrinth of parking lanes laid out among the sprawling grass lots on the exterior of the oasis. You hear the crowds, see the looming stadium walls, and feel the desert fade away just for a little while. Tennis paradise (aptly nicknamed) is an extravagant spectacle, featuring the world’s most iconic names for both men and women, the fifth largest tournament in the world. Comparatively, the WTA 75 or ITF 60k tournament halfway up the coast to San Francisco features the challengers of the women’s tour, with rankings around 100-400 in the world. A mix of hopeful locals and seasoned veterans battle it out for ranking points and prize money, both well within striking distance for either side of the net. That’s the beauty of this game, anyone can win or lose on any given day.

This dynamic makes for compelling sport and narrative, regardless of the ranking attributed to either player, or either location. All of these women absolutely lace the ball, constantly redefining what can be done or performed with a racquet. There’s something about the ease of their motion, where effortless grace melds with scintillating pace, and each point feels like a new chapter. The resulting racquet discourse is thrilling, and there’s not necessarily just one way to experience it. Take a night match on Stadium 1 at Indians Wells for example. It’s the second round, and the most recent grand slam winner, Aryna Sabalenka, is playing an American hopeful, Peyton Stearns. Both players give their all to whip up an electric atmosphere, with each saving multiple match points en route to a dramatic third-set tiebreak finish. While the tennis was beyond most mere mortals, the atmosphere created by the crowd’s engagement made it an otherworldly experience.

^{Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka prepares to serve at BNP. Gabriela Knutson goes up for a serve in Templeton.}

Conversely, during a first-round match at TTR, I had the opportunity to sit down next to the coach of one of the players and learn more about their story as both player and team. The match was extremely high-level, despite a lopsided score line in the first set, but the coach assured me that her player (Gabriela Knutson) was capable of much better play, assuming she didn’t get down on herself. I was skeptical, given that her opponent Lauren Davis has been ranked as high as 26 in the world, but, sure enough, we saw her consistently hitting harder than the former top 30 player. But tennis isn’t always about who just simply hits the hardest. It can be about little things and big things at the same time, and both players were breaking each other’s serve as the match wore on through the second set toward a turning point. The quality of play seemed to uptick as the pivotal moment approached. Ultimately, Knutson managed to turn her match around, stealing the second set and powering through the third with her big hitting on full display, only outperformed by her growing confidence. It was an emotional ride, and I found myself quite invested as a spectator, perhaps due to the more personal aspect of the match through speaking with her coach. It changed my viewpoint on these players a little bit, helping to remove the stardom from their aura and to render them as people above all else.

^{US Open champion Coco Gauff celebrates her match victory in Indian Wells.}

And that’s what’s so striking about professional tennis in person. It becomes a communal activity and experience, where the individuals in front of us are subject to our own projections as spectators. This dynamic invokes a personal stake in the match, even though the actions before us are entirely removed from our own agency. But the participating nature of the spectator in tennis, the call and response of the audience, speaks to something larger. There is a rich tradition to this back-and-forth, one that always manages to produce something new each time. It’s ancient, yet modern. It’s mystical, yet familiar. Ethereal, yet human.

Both tournaments achieve these feelings of awe. The personal intimacy of the inland ranch is not outdone by the glamorous desert arenas. Somehow, both speak to the same truths, and both ultimately bring people together through a shared love. “Love All” may be on the sign outside, but the message and sentiment are universal.