How Hall of Famer Lindsay Davenport became the queen of Indian Wells

With the latest edition of the prestigious Indian Wells tournament in full swing, it’s worth remembering Lindsay Davenport –– the most successful player in the competition’s history.

A two-time winner of the event and six-time finalist, Davenport enjoyed unparalleled success in California between 1998 and 2005. 

It was this success, coupled with her three major wins during this same period that saw the American amass more earnings than any other women’s player ever at one stage of her career. 

With 55 career titles in total, including three WTA Finals victories and an Olympic gold medal, Davenport was deservedly inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2014. 

Though other US stars, most notably the Williams’ sisters, became the poster girls of Women’s tennis, Davenport’s achievements most definitely consolidate the suggestion she is an all-time great. 

Here’s the story of her distinguished career:

Davenport made her mark on the tennis world in 1996, when she stormed to an Olympic title in Atlanta –– beating Spain’s Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the gold medal match.

She reached the semi-finals of the US Open in 1997 but it was the following year that she truly cemented herself as one of the world’s leading players. 

The American reached consecutive semis at the Australian Open and the French Open, before making the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. 

Then, in New York, Davenport defeated the great Martina Hingis, who she would later surpass as number one that same year. 

Over the coming years, Davenport jostled for the number one spot with other icons of the sport, including Serena Williams, Justine Henin and Hingis. 

Her second major win came at Wimbledon in 1999 against Steffi Graf, while her maiden Australian