INSIDE JANNIK SINNER’S HISTORIC INDIAN WELLS VICTORY AS FIRST ITALIAN MALE CHAMPION
Jannik Sinner makes history as the first Italian man to win Indian Wells, defeating Daniil Medvedev in two tiebreaks.
Jannik Sinner crushed Daniil Medvedev’s hopes at Indian Wells Sunday night. Medvedev looked sharp all week; he even took down Carlos Alcaraz to reach the final.
But when it came to the championship match, Sinner edged him out in two tense tiebreaks, 7-6, 7-6. Medvedev’s loss stings, but let’s be real: his level this week showed he’s back to fighting for big trophies after a pretty rough 2025.
He’s set a big goal for himself, too, with all the pressure that comes along with it. After the match, Medvedev, now 30, talked about whether he’s the one who can break up Alcaraz and Sinner’s grip at the top; he even admitted he slipped up a bit in the final.
On that note, it’s wild how Alcaraz and Sinner have ruled the ATP Tour lately. Between them, they’ve grabbed the last nine Grand Slam titles and barely given anyone else a chance. Still, Medvedev made things interesting at Indian Wells by beating Alcaraz and pushing Sinner to the edge.
In his post-match press conference, Medvedev shared his thoughts on his future and the big question: Can he really challenge Sinner and Alcaraz?
He said, “Honestly, it’s a pleasure to play Sinner and Alcaraz. Last year, I didn’t even get a shot; they were out of reach because I kept losing early. I’m glad this time I played well enough to beat the others first, took down Carlos, and then got to face Jannik.
My goal? Not to obsess over them, but to work on my own game, beat everyone else, and then, chances are, in Miami, I'm going to run into one of them in the semis or the final if I play out of my mind.”
He continued, “It’s tough to say if I’m the guy to challenge them, honestly. I’ve lost a bunch against them, and again today with Jannik. But I know I can play top-level tennis. Whoever I meet next, whether it’s Carlos, Jannik, or someone else, I’ll just try to play my best tennis. I proved I can do it again here, in Dubai, and in Brisbane.
On any given day, anyone can challenge them; look at Jakub beating Jannik in Doha or me beating Carlos here. So it’s not just me, not just Novak, not just Sascha. But it’s hard, and that’s why by the end of the season, those guys have sixty wins and only five or six losses, half of those losses coming against each other. It’s a tough mountain to climb, but you just keep trying.”
Now, Sinner, Alcaraz, and Medvedev head to the Miami Masters, which kicks off Tuesday. The last time around, Jakub Mensik won there; it’s the second Masters 1000 event of 2026.
Sinner made history on Sunday. No Italian man had ever won Indian Wells until he pulled it off. He now owns 25 ATP titles and is the youngest player to win all six ATP hard-court Masters events. Back in 1974, John Newcombe was the tournament’s first champ, beating Arthur Ashe in the final. Since then, Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer have all lifted the trophy. Federer and Djokovic sit at the top with five Indian Wells titles each.
ARYNA SABALENKA APPLAUDS ELINA SVITOLINA’S POST-PREGNANCY COMEBACK DURING INDIAN WELLS
Aryna Sabalenka reaches the Indian Wells final to face Elena Rybakina, while praising Elina Svitolina’s inspiring return.
Aryna Sabalenka had just made it to the Indian Wells final, set to face Elena Rybakina, though at the time of her press conference, the match-up wasn’t official yet.
Reporters asked her thoughts on both possible opponents, and she didn’t hold back on her respect for each. Sabalenka had a lot of praise for both semi-finalists, but especially for Elina Svitolina.
Pretty much everyone expected Rybakina to make it through, and that’s what happened. Still, Sabalenka made it clear how much she admired Svitolina, even though Svitolina didn’t make the final.
Here’s what Sabalenka had to say about Svitolina’s comeback:
“She’s an incredible player. Honestly, seeing the level she’s brought to the court after her pregnancy is so inspiring; it's really cool to watch. Every match we’ve played has been a tough battle. Always a show, always top level. If it had been Elina, I would’ve been just as excited. I know with her it’s always a real fight, always entertaining. I’m super excited either way.”
Sabalenka beat Svitolina at this year’s Australian Open but then lost the final to Rybakina. There’s no question Sabalenka wants to set the record straight against Rybakina at Indian Wells.
Getting to this final hasn’t exactly been a breeze, either. While her showdown with Rybakina is probably her toughest challenge yet, Sabalenka already battled through a stacked field just to get here without dropping a single set, no less.
She started fast, rolling past Himeno Sakatsume and Jaqueline Cristian. Then came Naomi Osaka in the Round of 16, a match many thought would be tight, but Sabalenka kept control and won solidly.
Victoria Mboko gave her a fight in their quarter-final’s opening set, but Sabalenka pulled away again in the tiebreak. She kept that momentum going against Linda Nosková in the semi-final, not giving her an inch.
Now, it’s down to Rybakina to try and stop Sabalenka, who’s looked almost unstoppable in the California desert so far.
DISCOVER WHY CARLOS ALCARAZ REMAINS UNSTOPPABLE AFTER HIS JUAN CARLOS FERRERO SPLIT
Carlos Alcaraz remains undefeated in 2026 as David Ferrer highlights his professional handling of the Ferrero split.
David Ferrer, former world No. 3 and Spanish Davis Cup captain, had plenty of good things to say about Carlos Alcaraz, especially about how he’s handled life after splitting with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero and his red-hot start to 2026.
Alcaraz, now world No. 1, shocked everyone last December when he announced he’d parted ways with Ferrero. They’d been working together since Alcaraz was just a teenager. That partnership was something special. With Ferrero in his corner, Alcaraz grabbed his first six Grand Slam titles and became the youngest man ever to reach world No. 1. Their run was one of the most successful the sport has seen in years.
People haven’t stopped talking about the split. Ferrero himself has opened up about it in several interviews lately. But honestly, if you look at Alcaraz, you’d never know anything major had changed. He’s as dominant as ever.
He hasn’t lost a match in 2026. He kicked off the year by winning his seventh Grand Slam at the Australian Open, making him the youngest man in the Open Era to complete the Career Grand Slam. Then he tore through the Qatar Open, demolishing Arthur Fils in the final in just 50 minutes.
Talking to Clay and RG Media, Ferrer pointed out that Alcaraz’s mature, almost businesslike approach to the Ferrero split has played a big part in his continued success.
“A break-up like that is never easy. There’s always an emotional side,” Ferrer said. “But Carlos is so focused and professional. He showed everyone he could handle it, both in Australia and in Doha.”
And he’s still only 22; he doesn’t turn 23 until May. Yet he’s already locked in his place as one of the sport’s all-time greats. Seven Grand Slam singles titles and counting. A lot of people have started to wonder if he can match what Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer achieved.
If anyone knows how good the Big 3 were, it’s Ferrer. He spent years battling Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal. He sees clear similarities between Alcaraz and those legends, especially Nadal, his fellow Spaniard.
“Carlitos is having a fantastic year. He hasn’t lost, which gives you a ton of confidence and stability,” Ferrer said. “I think he’s special. He’s different, like Rafa was, like the Big Three. These are players who really know how to handle pressure.”
Alcaraz is showing no signs of slowing down. He’s started strong at Indian Wells, looking every bit the favourite to win another Masters 1000 title. After a first-round bye, he beat Grigor Dimitrov, then took down Arthur Rinderknech in a tough three-setter on Sunday.
Next up: 13th seed Casper Ruud in the fourth round. If Alcaraz gets through, he’ll face either qualifier Rinky Hijikata or 27th seed Cameron Norrie in the quarters. Right now, he looks unstoppable.
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