Being a billionaire has its privileges. Money gets you places. Same way a millionaire decides to install a hardcourt in his estate’s backyard, it’s only the truly elite who enjoy the privilege of getting what can’t be demanded but only earned. So when Bill Gates asked himself – “I wonder if I could play tennis with Roger Federer” – you know he was dead serious. The co-founder of Microsoft and a noted philanthropist doubled up to play ball with the Swiss Maestro for the first time in April 2017. This time he has decided to log in for some action at the BNP Paribas Open.

Recent updates show us that Bill Gates, the co-founder and former CEO of Microsoft, attended the Indian Wells Masters. On Saturday, March 8, cameras shifted focus to the $108B high-profile personality watching top seed Alexander ‘Sascha’ Zverev take on Tallon Griekspoor in the Round of 64.

It is worth noting that almost a year ago, the tennis enthusiast Gates was also spotted in the stands with his girlfriend Paula Hurd as defending champion Carlos Alcaraz put on a thrilling second-round show against Matteo Arnaldi.

For those unaware, Gates’ connection with the sport dates back to 1966, when he played tennis at the Cheerio Lodge Cottages in Hood Canal, Washington. As the clock turned, the tech billionaire recognized his passion and appeared for a series of charity events with Federer. The duo played three exhibition matches to raise funds for the ‘Roger Federer Foundation’ and its 2020 edition in Cape Town saw Gates on the opposite side of the net against Rafael Nadal and South African comedian Trevor Noah.

Last year, the $108B high-profile personality also elaborated on how the sport has helped him stay fit. To stay rather versatile, Gates also disclosed playing pickleball, a recreational hobby he frequents whenever possible. “I have playing more tennis and a little bit of pickleball. I also take vitamins because there is no downside to it,” he told Nikhil Kamath during a conversation on ‘People by WTF’ podcast.

As for the contestants in the Indian Wells today, the event’s organizers drew the curtains for fans after suspending all matches due to adverse weather conditions. This affected three women’s and two men’s matches, which were later phased in Friday’s schedule. They also notified the community of the update by releasing a statement on X. “Play has been suspended for the night due to rain. All matches still on court will be moved to Friday’s Order of Play.” However, hopes for a successful Indian Wells camp have been washed out for many.

Some of the top names eliminated from the draw are Briton sensation Emma Raducanu and Aussie bad boy Nick Kyrgios. The WTA player suffered a straight-set loss to Moyuka Uchijima, whereas 2022 Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios tearfully left the arena after forfeiting his clash against Botic Van de Zandschulp due to a wrist injury flare-up. The Aussie star later addressed his mid-match retirement during a post-match presser.

“I’m okay to lose a match,” said Kyrgios. “I’ve lost matches in my career many times. I guess it’s just the amount of work I put in and I’m still having so much discomfort in my wrist. That’s I guess why I got a bit emotional in the end because it’s one of my favorite tournaments.” As for German Zverev, his quest to take over as the World No. 1 suffered a nasty blow after falling short of his bid in Tennis Paradise.

Alexander Zverev admits feeling “disappointed” with his game in Indian Wells

German superstar Alexander Zverev’s World No. 1 dreams came crashing after a shock opening-round exit at Sunshine Double left him admitting that he wasn’t getting enough juice out of his game. The top-seeded player lost a marathon three-set contest to Tallon Griekspoor after defending five match points in the third set against the Dutchman, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(4).

During a conversation with the reporters, Sascha expressed feeling discontent with his performance. “At the end of the day, I’m just not playing good tennis at the moment. It’s as simple as that. I’m not playing a level that I want to play, definitely not playing anywhere near what I played in Australia. I’m just disappointed with my game. That’s No. 1 thing for me.”

Moreover, this premature exit leaves Zverev trailing 3,385 points behind World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. The Italian sensation is currently serving a three-month suspension from competitive tennis in concern to his doping sanction by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

The good news is that the 27-year-old will manage to retain his No. 2 position even if Carlos Alcaraz successfully defends his title. The Spaniard, bidding to join Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer as the only male players to compete a three-peat in Indian Wells, will square off against Quentin Halys in the Round of 64 on Saturday, March 8.