No way around it: Serena Williams' return to Indian Wells, her first foray in the desert event since 2001 due to her boycott, is the story of this week, and on social media.

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If Sam Querrey's celebrity crush is Taylor Swift, Eugenie Bouchard one-upped him by bonding with Justin Bieber, her own famous would-be flame, at Will Ferrell's Desert Smash charity event. Also pictured: Bieber's fellow little guy, comedian Kevin Hart. (Daniela Hantuchova, Fernando Verdasco, and more stars of sport and screen also played in.)

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Never one to be outdone, Caroline Wozniacki staged her own photo-op with the recently-roasted pop star. And well done on that hashtag: #beliebit.

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Wozniacki addressed her positive 2015 results during a media-access session (which often feels like speed-dating), but Agnieszka Radwanska didn't see it the same way:

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Madison Keys fell on the short end of a wager with Ryan Harrison, hence she sported some new (dude) threads:

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Harrison himself had some friendly fire to wage in the first round, drawing compatriot, sentimental favorite, and sometimes practice partner Mardy Fish.

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The 22-year-old made it a short-lived return for his 33-year-old countryman—despite Mardy earning match points—and with a bit of flair.

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Fish wasn't to be denied, though: Aside from Serena's return to this tournament, his is the feel-good story of a significant time in tennis.

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And he welcomed back another player who's been away from the tour much too often in the past year and a half: Juan Martin del Potro.

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Meanwhile, it wasn't all coming up roses for another American, the stalwart Michael Russell, who bowed out early in his final Indian Wells appearance:

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Dig the angle of this shot via Rafael Nadal. That alone bears a mention here.

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A seriously 'lagged Samantha Stosur revealed that, as we all know, life as a globe-trotting tennis player is not always a super-sexy thing.

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Wry art scribe and tennis observer Tyler Green took the BNP Paribas Open's seemingly innocuous post to another level. (For context, this.)

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Roger Federer spoke to his own facial hair, or lack thereof, in another patented #AskRF Q&A with fans. And then he ribbed Andy Murray, himself conducting some #AskAM repartee, to hilarious effect about the follicles adorning the Brit's dome.

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In closing, Maria Sharapova revealed that she will soon return to Fed Cup play to help Russia pursue its fourth title in that team competition:

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Russia's Fed Cup semifinal tie against two-time winner Germany starts April 18 in Sochi, with a wink to Sharapova's Olympic torch-toting duties at the start of those 2014 Games just 13 months ago.

Got a tip or a point to make? Hit me on Twitter at @jonscott9.