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The 2016 BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells official opened its doors March 5 with the kickoff of Kids Day at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
The place was rockin’ as kids enjoyed a myriad of activities.
There was an early lesson in tennis as kids split up into teams on smaller courts to introduce young players to the game. Afterwards, the children headed to the center of tennis heaven – the Indian Wells Tennis Garden – to enjoy face painting, dancing, drawing, hula hoop, rock climbing and much more.
“Stretch” entertained the kids on stilts as he navigated the grounds with ease, and a giant tennis ball walked around hugging children and hamming it up for pictures.
A huge attraction was the surrounding courts. As top players finished their practice sessions, they were greeted by hordes of kids looking for autographs. Several women in the tournament's main draw stopped to obliged the children, making their dreams come true with a coveted signature on a hat, shirt, or tennis ball.
The women’s main draw begins March 9 followed by the men on March 10.
Keep abreast of the action with daily coverage from Palm Springs Life Magazine's website featuring veteran tennis writers Art Spander and Bill Dwyre.
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