Indian Wells boosts top prize to $1 million

Next year's Indian Wells tournament will be the first combined ATP and WTA event to offer a top prize of $1 million to its men and women's singles winners, officials said on Tuesday. Steve Simon, tournament director of the tennis event in the California desert, said the hardcourt tournament which runs from March 5-18 will boost its total prize money to $11 million with increases for all rounds. Simon called the landmark money offering "a testament to the growth and success of the event for more than 35 years." Only three years ago, the event gave men and women equal prize money and the total purse has nearly doubled from the $5.83 million on offer in 2008. "The BNP Paribas Open is one of the cornerstone events in professional tennis exactly because of this attention to players, willingness to innovate and push the boundaries of success," WTA chairman Stacey Allaster said. "It's fantastic the BNP Paribas Open... is taking the lead in recognizing the players in this way for the tremendous interest and value they continue to drive into the sport," said ATP president Adam Helfant.