39-year-old Gael Monfils, former champion Bianca Andreescu and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens head the wild card announcements for the 2026 BNP Paribas Open, the four joining a list that already includes seven-time major champion Venus Williams.
The tournament made the announcement on Friday, with 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka notably left off the list. The former finalist recently made history at the Australian Open, where he became the oldest man to reach the third round of a major since Ken Rosewall in 1978.
Monfils, who made history in Acapulco by becoming the oldest Frenchman to ever win an ATP match, is playing his last season on tour. Monfils reached the quarterfinals in 2016 and 2019 in the Coachella Valley.
Andreescu, who won the title on her debut as an 18-year-old, becoming the youngest woman to win in the desert since Serena Williams in 1999.
Stephens and Pliskova are both looking to rediscover their games after difficult stretches. 32-year-old Stephens comes in as World No.775, while Pliskova is ranked 265.
Stephens reached the quarterfinals in 2014 at Indian Wells.
Also added to the women’s singles wild card list are 2024 Olympic Silver Medalist Donna Vekic, 2021 Australian Open runner-up Jennifer Brady, 2025 Roland Garros Junior Champion Lilli Tagger, and American Alycia Parks.
On the men’s side, two-time NCAA singles National Champion Michael Zheng, who defeated Sebastian Korda in the first round of the Australian Open, 2024 US Open Juniors Champion Rafael Jodar, and Americans Martin Damm Jr., and Zachary Svajda made the list.
Qualifying wild cards were awarded to Jagger Leach, the son of three-time major champion Lindsay Davenport, as well as former USTA National Boys 18s Champion Darwin Blanch, Trevor Svajda, Andrew Johnson, and Izyan Zizou Ahmad. On the women’s side, Julieta Pareja received a women’s qualifying draw wild card, along with Emerson Jones, Mary Stoiana, Elvina Kalieva, Elizabeth Mandlik, and Akasha Urhobo.
The BNP Paribas Open kicks off on March 1 and runs through March 15.