INDIAN WELLS/WASHINGTON, March 4, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
As the first ATP Masters 1000 tournament arrives this week with the beginning of the 12-day BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., World No. 2 Jannik Sinner is hoping that the hard work he has put in preparing for it will pay off by the end of the fortnight.
After missing last year’s event while serving a three-month, negotiated suspension, following a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency, Sinner said it makes this year’s tournament in the California palm desert even more special. In four previous appearances, from 2021 to 2024, he’s reached the fourth round twice and been a semifinalist twice.
“I think we are always trying to progress with our games,” Sinner said during his pre-tournament news conference Tuesday afternoon. “I feel like we are doing a great job. It has been a very hard practice week here for me. We spent many, many hours of practice.”
Top of the world @janniksin | #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/PyeyIowiCs
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) February 27, 2026
Sinner has competed in two tournaments so far in 2026, going 7-2. At the Australian Open, where the Italian was the two-time defending champion, he reached the semifinals before losing a tough five-setter to 10-time AO champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Then, he advanced to the quarterfinals at Doha before falling to Jakub Mensik of Czechia, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-3.
This is just the third tournament of the season for both Sinner and World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, who is the top-seeded player at Indian Wells, and has won both the Australian Open and the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha while compiling an impressive 12-0 win-loss record to start the year.
The 24-year-old Sinner from South Tyrol has had two weeks off since his last match to work with coaches Darren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi and the rest of his team to fine-tune his game.
“I’m very happy with how I’m feeling on the court, and obviously we try to go as far as possible in the tournament,” Sinner said. “In the same time, we also try to improve a couple of things. I’m trying to be slightly more aggressive at times on the baseline, and then we see how it goes.”
Media day duties for the World No.2 in Tennis Paradise ☀️@janniksin #BNPParibasOpen pic.twitter.com/TgHGK1wcPg
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 3, 2026
After a first-round bye, Sinner will open Friday against either 83rd-ranked James Duckworth of Australian, whom he beat in straight sets in the second round at Melbourne, or 109th-ranked qualifier Dalibor Svrcina of Czechia. His pathway to a first Indian Wells title could include playing No. 29 seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina in the third round; and No. 16 seed Karen Khachanov of Russia or No. 23 seed Tommy Paul of the United States in the fourth round.
Then, Sinner could face No. 8 seed Ben Shelton of the United States or No. 12 seed Mensik in the quarterfinals; and No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev of Germany or No. 5 seed Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the semifinals. Alcaraz is favored to be the finalist coming out of the top half of the draw.
Sinner indicated he’s pleased with his season thus far and looks forward to playing well at Indian Wells in advance of the clay season in Europe. “I’m very happy how [I played] and what mental moment I am in,” he said.
“As I said, you know, we try to maximize our potential. Season has just started, so it’s very important couple of tournaments for me before going on the clay. I know that. But I feel good to play some good tennis, and as I said, now we see how it goes.”
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News & noteworthy
Among other questions during Jannik Sinner’s pre-tournament news conference, he spoke about the challenge of focusing and preparing to play Indian Wells in lieu of world events taking place in Iran and elsewhere in the Middle East. Sinner also talked about starting a YouTube channel to be able to share his story directly with his fans, and about what kind of input he has with Nike surrounding his tennis kits.
• On staying focused and preparing: “You know, there are certain things we cannot control really, and this is definitely one of them. I do think and believe that ATP and everyone is trying to do the best possible choices, to feel as safe as possible, and that’s the only thing I can say really, no?
“I obviously hope that everyone is safe and they can come here to play or also to go home. It depends what they want to do.
“But, you know, there are certain scenarios we cannot control, so I tried of course to be focused, but you also realize that there are much more important things in life than playing tennis, you know. Yeah, I do believe we have good protection around us, being as a player, and I hope other players feel the same way.”
• On reaching out to his fans via his YouTube channel: “I feel like fans, you know, they don’t know exactly how we are as a person, so this helps also to show how I am off the courts. I think it’s something great.
“Me personally, I love to watch also other YouTube videos from other sports people, and yeah, you know, it’s of course something different. You have behind my team what makes it by itself. You know, I don’t have to worry about anything else.
“But in the same time, it’s nice to show something outside of tennis. You know, at times how we practice or what other stuff I love to do outside, outside of tennis courts. I think it’s nice, but at the same time obviously the main priority is always to play tennis, and that’s what I love to do.”
• On giving Nike feedback about the kits he wears: “Honestly, I think Nike is doing an incredible job, because they have so many athletes and so many different things they need to think about, but in the same time, I like what I’m wearing. …
“Look, we change so many times the outfits throughout the whole year. Basically every couple of tournaments we have new outfits, so it’s also not easy to always have, you know, something what looks perfect in that court, but in the same time, I believe, you know, there is such a big team behind to make great outfits.
“So we’re getting more involved next year, but in the same time, I think they are doing a great, great job.”
Wednesday’s Indian Wells order of play
By the numbers
While Jannik Sinner will be going after his sixth ATP Masters 1000 title during the Indian Wells fortnight, he’s never won the BNP Paribas Open. He has won all of the other five hard-court ATP Masters 1000 events. Sinner begins play trailing World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz by 2,800 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.
“Quotable …”
“I … need some other things to do, if it’s playing golf or driving a car or anything else, playing some PlayStation, and just living also the life of a 24-year-old. I know that these days they are very, very rare, because I do sacrifice a lot to be in the position where I am, but it is important just to surround yourself with good people, people who understand how you are as a person. I think this already gives you so many positive things.”
– World No. 2 Jannik Sinner, during his pre-tournament news conference, asked if it’s hard to have things that are non-tennis related in his life.
