Watch Free Tennis During BNP Pre-Qualifiers

The banners are up, the scoreboards are in place, Hawk-Eye is watching over the courts, and over the next week you can watch all the tennis you want for free at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

The BNP Paribas Open pre-qualifier started Monday.

From fast-rising young stars to talented local players, the pre-qualifying draw features 90 men and 59 women hoping to earn a wildcard into the qualifying tournament, March 5-7.

Andy Scorteanu, who runs the Andy Scorteanu Tennis Academy in Palm Desert, was one of the local players in the tournament, but lost his opening match 6-4, 6-4.

Also on the men's side, local veteran Marcin Rozpedski will start play Tuesday, as well as College of the Desert players Joshua Banks and Senne Braun.

Madison Keys and Jessica Pegula highlight the young American talent in the women's draw. Keys, who's 17-years-old, advanced to the second round of the 2011 U.S. Open.

American Tetiana Luzhanska is the highest-ranked woman in the field at No. 134 and will play Tuesday along with former USC standouts Amanda Fink, the 2009 Pac-10 Champion, and Maria Sanchez, ranked No. 1 in the NCAA in 2011.

Matches will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28; 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 29 and Thursday, March 1; and 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 2.

The women’s final will be on Saturday, March 3 at noon followed by the men’s final.