In pictures: Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur and other tennis stars enjoy a game of football before beginning Indian Wells 2023 campaign

Iga Swiatek and Ons Jabeur, along with Belinda Bencic and other tennis stars, recently indulged in a game of football before embarking on their 2023 Indian Wells campaign.

Swiatek emerged victorious in last year's edition of Indian Wells, defeating Maria Sakkari in the final. The Pole will be looking to defend her title. Tunisian tennis player Ons Jabeur has had a rather lackluster start to the 2023 season, having only won three out of her five matches thus far. However, she is determined and focused on improving her game as she prepares for the upcoming tournament.

Belinda Bencic has been seeded ninth in this year's Indian Wells Open. With her impressive performances in the 2023 season, winning two titles and 15 out of 18 matches, the Swiss is expected to have a remarkable run in the tournament.

Swiatek, Jabeur, Bencic and Karolina Pliskova were some of the tennis players who recently took a break from their grueling training sessions to enjoy a friendly game of football at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The match provided a much-needed respite from their intense routines, allowing them to unwind and have some fun.

On Tuesday, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) took to Instagram to share a series of pictures of various tennis stars letting loose and playing football.

"Staying loose ahead of the Sunshine Swing #TennisParadise," the WTA captioned the post.

Iga Swiatek back in the United States for the WTA 1000 tournaments

Iga Swiatek with her 2022 Indian Wells Open title

Iga Swiatek has returned to Indian Wells, ready to tackle the daunting challenge of repeating her Sunshine Double victory in 2023. As the current World No. 1 and defending champion of Indian Wells, Swiatek is determined to kick off her United States campaign with nothing less than a flawless performance in Tennis Paradise.

The upcoming tournaments are of great significance to Swiatek, especially after her recent loss at the WTA 1000 in Dubai. As the World No. 1 she is determined to prove herself and claim a title. Her impressive record this season will provide her with confidence, having won 12 out of 15 matches. She has also recently defended her title at the Qatar Open, without dropping a single set.

Iga Swiatek is set to commence her title defense at Indian Wells, with her first match slated for March 12. Following this, Swiatek will participate in the Miami Open, which will run from March 19th to April 2nd.