Indian Wells has lost its luster the last few years. It hasn't been the 5th slam since at least 2022. It's just seems out of place on the tennis calendar, in the heart of March Madness. Plus, its future beyond this year is uncertain. (I can see this event being a casualty of the Saudi takeover.)
To me, the 5th event is Rome, but Cincinnati could challenge for it when it gets its upgrades in 2025. Rome is a good barometer for the French Open and Cincinnati for the US Open. IW takes place in the middle of nowhere in the calendar.
I have been to Rome tournament many times over the years, they have made the tournament bigger in ways, No Way could it challenge for the 5th event.IW has much better facilities to start with, though Rome is such a wonderful place to visit, where the courts are in Rome, it is over the Tiber River, and hard to get there if you stay in a hotel in Rome, where at IW they have shuttle buses to the tournament, I have friends that go to IW every year. they love it, apart from the facilities also as tennis fans, unless you go to a tournament, I feel you cannot make a proper judgement..Madrid could be the 5th event, even though it does not have proper clay, it has better facilities than Rome as a tournament., though not ideal because it is a hard court primarily, no barometer for RG.
Personally speaking I have never liked Cinncy, regardless of their upgrades in 2025.Cinncy isnt a barometer for the USO., because the playing surface at Cinncy is different to that of the USO.
To me one of these 1000 events need a roof to be in contention full stop
BTW,
For an unprecedenth nine straight time ATP Masters IW, as determind by player vote has been recognized (2023))as the 1000 premier event of the season by both tour since 2014., it was also recognized by the WTA in 2013, making it 10 consecutive times on the women's side and 14 overall.
Indian Wells must be doing something right? dont you think,? lol!, all the players both men and women like this tournament for many reasons, Tommy Haas is a very good tournament director.