ARYNA SABALENKA AND JANNIK SINNER BECOME FIRST DUAL SUNSHINE DOUBLE WINNERS SINCE 2016
Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner complete a historic Sunshine Double sweep, dominating Indian Wells and Miami in 2026.
Aryna Sabalenka, kicking back with her feet up in front of the TV, shared a clip on Instagram celebrating a remarkable achievement matched by her ATP counterpart. She posted, “Forza Jannik Sinner, Sunshine Double.” When you’re a player of her calibre, you recognise excellence when you see it.
So, what’s the story here? Winning both the Indian Wells and Miami Open in March is known as completing the Sunshine Double, a feat that both Sabalenka and Sinner have recently accomplished and are now rightfully celebrating.
These two major champions, each holding four Grand Slam titles, have often found success in tandem, as their recent victory in Cincinnati 2024 underscored.
What makes this accomplishment particularly tough is the shift from the dry heat of Indian Wells, located in the California desert, to the draining humidity of Miami. This back-to-back stretch, dubbed the Sunshine Swing, is one of tennis’s toughest tests.
Both Sabalenka and Sinner managed to adjust and deliver tennis at a level that was nearly untouchable throughout both events.
For Sabalenka, world No. 1, the Indian Wells run was dominant, with only one set dropped in a nail-biting final against Elena Rybakina, where she saved match points to win 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6). Then, shifting gears in Miami, she dismantled five opponents in straight sets before edging out Coco Gauff 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in a gripping final.
At 27, this trip to the States this March is something she won’t soon forget.
“I don’t know what could top this month. A new dog, my engagement, and the Sunshine Double – it’s wild,” Sabalenka reflected in Miami. “Honestly, I hadn’t had a chance to really process everything that happened in March, but it’s definitely the best month of my life.”
With this run, Sabalenka has now notched a 23-1 record this season, claiming her 10th and 11th WTA 1000 titles. Her growing collection links her with legends like Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, and the recent Iga Swiatek (2022), as they are the only women to have achieved the Sunshine Double. It’s clear Sabalenka is building an impressive legacy.
“It feels unreal... I’m nowhere near those legends yet,” she admitted in Florida. “But it means a lot. My goal has always been to make a mark in history, and now I have. It still sounds incredible. I’m not sure how I pulled it off, but I’m very proud.”
On the men’s side, Sinner’s consistency on the Sunshine Swing was even more striking. The world No. 2 went through both tournaments without dropping a single set.
He faced a rejuvenated Daniil Medvedev in the Indian Wells semifinals, who had upset No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, but Sinner held firm in an intense 7-6(6), 7-6(4) final. In Miami, he beat the Czech contender Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-4, clinching the Sunshine Double and becoming the first male player to do so since Roger Federer in 2017.
His dominance in Miami was especially remarkable. Across six matches, Sinner lost his serve only once and extended his extraordinary streak to 34 consecutive sets won at the Masters 1000 level. Paris, Indian Wells and Miami, the last three Masters 1000 events, have seen him undefeated in sets.
“It’s been an incredible US swing for me,” Sinner said. “I’m really happy because we worked hard to get here. Winning the Sunshine Double for the first time means a lot; it’s something I never imagined I’d achieve because it’s incredibly tough. Somehow, we did it, and I’m very happy.”
Alcaraz’s loss in the Miami third round to Sebastian Korda wasn’t too surprising given the circumstances; Korda was playing at a high level. Meanwhile, Sinner is closing the gap to Alcaraz by about 1200 ranking points atop the ATP standings.
Sinner shared his perspective in Miami: “It’s all very personal in our sport, and it’s tough. For me, the ranking should reflect performance. Carlos has been incredibly consistent for a long time. Now we head into clay season, where we all know how strong he is.”
Sabalenka and Sinner’s joint achievement marks only the fourth time in history that a WTA and ATP player have completed the Sunshine Double in the same season. The last pair to do this were Victoria Azarenka and Novak Djokovic back in 2016.
Their composure under pressure and confidence in their shot-making signal one thing: the chase on the clay courts ahead will demand extraordinary efforts from anyone aiming to unseat these Sunshine Double champions.
WHY DID 22 PLAYERS SUDDENLY WITHDRAW FROM THE 2026 ITALIAN OPEN MID-TOURNAMENT?
Discover the full list of injured stars, including Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu, forced out of the 2026 Italian Open.
At the 2026 Italian Open, the number of players who have withdrawn or retired during matches has climbed to 22, spanning both the ATP and WTA competitions.
By midweek, 17 players had already exited the combined ATP/WTA 1000 event in Rome. Since then, an additional three men and two women have followed suit.
Before the draws were even announced on Monday, prominent names like Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Jack Draper, and Marketa Vondrousova had pulled out. On the opening day of the women’s tournament, Tuesday, Marta Kostyuk and Emma Raducanu also withdrew.
Amanda Anisimova, ranked sixth in the WTA, stepped back before her first match on Thursday due to a left wrist injury. Meanwhile, Victoria Mboko, who is ninth in the world, withdrew before playing on Friday because of a gastrointestinal illness.
Valentin Vacherot, the 16th-ranked player on the ATP tour, pulled out shortly before his scheduled second-round match against Marin Cilic on Friday, citing a foot injury.
Tomas Machac, holding the 41st spot in the men's rankings, also withdrew ahead of his second-round encounter with Daniil Medvedev after an impactful win against Stefanos Tsitsipas in round one.
Arthur Fils, ranked 17th, retired during his opening match against Andrea Pellegrino on Saturday, trailing 0-4, due to hip pain.
Here’s a rundown of the withdrawals on the ATP side: Carlos Alcaraz (No. 2) was replaced by Sebastian Ofner; Taylor Fritz (No. 7) by Zachary Svajda; Valentin Vacherot (No. 16) by Martin Landaluce; Arthur Rinderknech (No. 24) by Aleksandar Kovacevic; Holger Rune (No. 40) by Damir Dzumhur; Gabriel Diallo (No. 46) by Alexander Blockx; Jack Draper (No. 50) by Hamad Medjedovic; Raphael Collignon (No. 68) by Alexandre Muller; Reilly Opelka (No. 74) by Aleksandar Vukic; Arthur Cazaux (No. 73) by Mattia Bellucci; Kamil Majchrzak (No. 76) by Roberto Bautista Agut; and Eliot Spizzirri (No. 92) by James Duckworth.
On the WTA side, Amanda Anisimova (No. 6) was replaced by Elena Gabriela Ruse from Romania; Victoria Mboko (No. 9) by Nikola Bartunkova; Marta Kostyuk (No. 15) by Ajla Tomljanovic; Emma Raducanu (No. 30) by Lilli Tagger; Marketa Vondrousova (No. 44) by Solana Sierra; Sonay Kartal (No. 56) by Zeynep Sonmez; Varvara Gracheva (No. 61) by Eva Lys; and Veronika Kudermetova (No. 70) by Petra Marcinko.
THE "REST OVER REPS" PLAN: WHY JANNIK SINNER IS SNUBBING HALLE FOR WIMBLEDON
After 23 consecutive wins, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner adjusts his schedule to target a Career Grand Slam and Wimbledon glory.
Jannik Sinner has already logged a heavy schedule this year, with deep runs in recent Masters 1000 tournaments keeping him on court against top-tier competition regularly. Given this demanding stretch, he’s taken a fresh look at his calendar and decided to skip the Halle Open, carving out a three-week break between Roland Garros and his Wimbledon title defence.
The 2024 Wimbledon champion won’t be heading to Germany for the grass-court event. That’s notable since Sinner claimed that Wimbledon crown in impressive fashion, overcoming two-time winner Carlos Alcaraz to secure his first major title away from hardcourts. That victory was his latest Grand Slam, following Alcaraz’s wins at the previous two majors.
After Roland Garros, where he seeks to complete the career Grand Slam, Sinner plans to recharge rather than pile on more tournaments before Wimbledon. Without Alcaraz in sight, he’s considered a favourite to maintain his remarkable run. His recent haul includes titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, and, most recently, Madrid. Now, he’s setting his sights on Rome, his home turf, where he’s never clinched a win but is eager to continue an ambitious streak of Masters 1000 victories, aiming for a sixth in a row.
Post-Rome, he’ll take a week off before the French Open begins. In total, Sinner has played 23 matches over the last two months without tasting defeat. If he wants to lift the Rome trophy, he’ll need to notch six more wins, then potentially battle through seven more rounds in Paris. This demanding schedule partly explains his choice to forgo Halle.
As for the 2026 Halle Open, fans might be disappointed not to see the world number one, but the field remains strong. Heading the draw is Alexander Zverev, a local favourite who has yet to claim a grass-court title or even one on home soil. With Sinner out, this could be a prime opportunity for Zverev to break through.
The American players are also well represented. The U.S. hasn’t seen a finalist here since Mardy Fish in 2004, but Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton might be poised to change that, especially Fritz, who has already shown grass prowess with titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne last year.
Defending champion Alexander Bublik, who ousted Sinner on his way to victory and took down Daniil Medvedev in the final, will be back aiming to repeat. Alongside him, names like Andrey Rublev, Flavio Cobolli, and Frances Tiafoe are also set to compete. The tournament runs from June 15 to 21, promising plenty of exciting tennis.
