Sinner Masters Zverev In Indian Wells Heat, Medvedev Next

Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner (photo: Jürgen Hasenkopf)

INDIAN WELLS/WASHINGTON, March 15, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)

Both top seed Carlos Alcaraz and No. 2 seed Jannik Sinner faced adversity during their respective journeys at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. However, both found ways to elevate the levels of their game and each came into their semifinal matches on Saturday with the goal of reaching another ATP Masters 1000 final – and setting up what would be their 17th head-to-head meeting in the ATP Tour’s most compelling rivalry.

Since the start of the 2022 season, both the World No. 1 Alcaraz and World No. 2 Sinner had amassed 85 ATP Masters 1000 victories, while combining to win 13 titles at that level (Alcaraz eight and Sinner five).

However, a funny thing happened on the way to Sunday’s final: Only Sinner won his semifinal match. He beat World No. 4 Alexander Zverev for the sixth-straight time. Afterward, World No. 11 Daniil Medvedev played the spoiler role perfectly and prevented another epic Alcaraz-Sinner title match from happening this weekend. After winning his second hard-court crown of the season in Dubai earlier this month, Medvedev upset Alcaraz in straight sets to advance against Sinner.

Under a very bright sunshine and with temperatures that exceeded 90 degrees (Fahrenheit) throughout the late-winter afternoon in the California palm dessert, Sinner aimed to advance to the final in the sixth of his last seven ATP Masters 1000 events played and to reach his first Indian Wells championship match after losing twice to Alcaraz in the 2023 and 2024 semifinals. Standing in the way was the fourth-seeded Zverev, who had dropped only one set through four earlier victories.

As it happened, Sinner conquered Zverev – and the searing heat – to win 6-2, 6-4 in one hour and 23 minutes before a full house that filled the 16,100-seat Stadium 1. He put away the victory on his first match-point opportunity after Zverev ended a 10-shot rally by swatting a cross-court backhand wide right.

Sinner became the sixth player to reach the finals of all six hard-court ATP Masters 1000 events, joining Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Medvedev. Against Zverev, Sinner gave a solid performance that was highlighted by 18 winners – including eight aces – and he won 83 percent (24 of 29) of his first-serve points. Sinner converted three of six break-point chances and saved the only break point he faced from Zverev. He outpointed his opponent 58-46 in collecting his 10th straight win at ATP Masters 1000 level (20-0 in sets).

“It’s a great achievement. The first time here in the final, it means a lot to me,” Sinner said during his on-court interview with ATP Media. “The third time that I’ve played the semis here, so I’m very happy about that. … Now let’s see what is coming. Of course, the next one will be a very tough test, but I’m extremely happy. We have improved this week, this tournament, and that for me was the most important part. 

“It was a great performance from my side. Sascha didn’t play very well today I felt like. I broke him a couple of times in the first set, which gave me confidence to continue, and I served very well at important moments. I’m very happy.”

Later, during his post-match news conference, Sinner described the prospect of facing Medvedev for the 16th time (Sinner leads the head-to-head 8-7). “He has been, in the past, a player who made me improve a lot. You know, I had to change also my game style,” he said.

“[The] final is going to be a very, very tough match. But, look, the first time I play the final here, it means a lot to me. Good confidence then also for Miami and, you know, to finish the hard court in the best possible way. Then, you know, something new starts with the clay season.

“Very focused about tomorrow, and we see how it goes.”

Meanwhile, in a match-up of the former No. 1 against the current No. 1 in the second semifinal, Medvedev shocked the top-seeded Alcaraz, 6-3, 7-6 (3), in one hour and 37 minutes on Stadium 1. He handed the 22-year-old Spaniard his first loss of the 2026 season after starting the year with 16-straight victories across three tournaments, including title victories at the Australian Open and Doha. It was Medvedev’s first win over Alcaraz since the 2023 US Open semifinals.

Alcaraz came into this year’s Indian Wells semifinal with a 24-3 lifetime win-loss record and had captured two titles in the Coachella Valley in 2023 and 2024. However, Medvedev, a runner-up twice to Alcaraz, found the right stuff to beat him this time. While it was only his third victory against Alcaraz in nine career meetings, it was the Russian No. 1’s 19th win of the season – tops on the ATP Tour.

“Playing someone like Carlos, you play many times, you lose many times,” Medvedev said during his on-court interview with ATP Media. “He’s an amazing player with amazing shots, defense, attack, return, everything. So, you need to be at your best.”

Medvedev, who entered the semifinal on a nine-match winning streak of his own, came up with the winning combination of a big serve and powerful groundstrokes to beat Alcaraz. He converted both of his break-point opportunities with a relentless return game and was effective in winning points on his second serve. Medvedev finished with a 74-percent rate of efficiency on his second-serve points, winning 23 of 31 opportunities. He hit 15 winners while making 22 unforced errors, compared to 24 winners and 30 unforced errors by Alcaraz.

It all added up to the 30-year-old Medvedev advancing to his 11th ATP Masters 1000 final – and first one since the Indian Wells final in 2024. By reaching back-to-back finals in Dubai and Indian Wells, Medvedev will return to the Top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings next week for the first time since last July.

“I was hanging in, in the second set, as I could,” said Medvedev, who has not dropped a set all tournament in compiling wins over Alejandro Tabilo, Sebastian Baez, Alex Michelsen, defending champion Jack Draper and Alacaraz. “But [I am] playing great tennis, super happy to beat someone as strong as him.”

During his post-match news conference, Alcaraz took his loss in stride and gave props to Medvedev.

“Well, first of all, I just have to give credit to Daniil,” he said. “I think he just played an amazing match. Since the start of the match until the end of the, you know, the match, he was playing unreal, I got to say. I have never seen, to be honest, playing Daniil like this.

“He deserves completely the win today. He deserves completely to get through and playing a final here. All I can say is just congratulations to him.”

Alcaraz added: “From my side, I just played a few games mostly in the first set that I just let go my serve game, and part of that, I just running all the time against him.

“So it was tough for me, but, you know, just proud to see that I just fought until the last ball.”

Looking ahead to Sunday afternoon, can Medvedev win his third ATP Tour title of the season to go with his other two, at Brisbane and Dubai? He answered optimistically: “If I manage to maintain the level I had throughout the tournament and maybe even raise it, I will have my chances.”

News & noteworthy

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina enter Sunday’s title match as two of the top three women’s singles players in the world and with a combined six major titles won between them – four for Sabalenka and two for Rybakina.

However, the 27-year-old from Belarus, who will begin her 82nd-consecutive week ranked No. 1 next Monday, has a score to settle with Rybakina. Namely, the 26-year-old Russian who represents Kazakhstan, handed Sabalenka her only defeat in 2026. It came in the final of the Australian Open less than two months ago, which took three sets to decide. Otherwise, Sabalenka has strung together a remarkable 16 straight-set triumphs this year and already has won one title, at Brisbane. Now, she’s into her third final of the season and third in the last four years at Indian Wells.

Meanwhile, Rybakina, who won the 2023 Indian Wells title, a final in which she defeated Sabalenka, has been impressive in compiling a 17-3 win-loss record. She’s strung together winning streaks of seven (at the Australian Open) and five (at Indian Wells). 

Both players have proven themselves to be consistent winners on the WTA Tour and each has a game built on power. Sabalenka’s is demonstrative while Rybakina’s is quiet but effective and she leads the WTA Tour in service aces. Sabalenka will carry an 8-7 lifetime win-loss record in their previous head-to-head meetings into the final. However, Rybakina has won four of the last five championship matches they’ve played, including January’s Australian Open title match.

“I’m so done of losing these big finals. It felt like even though players were playing incredible tennis in those finals, I feel like I had so many opportunities that I didn’t use,” Sabalenka said during her news conference Friday, after defeating World No. 14 Linda Noskova of Czechia in the semifinals.

“And right now my mentality, if I make it to the final, I’ll go out there and, you know, I’ll do everything I can and everything I cannot to get that trophy.”

During her post-match news conference after defeating World No. 9 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in straight sets, Rybakina acknowledged the achievement of Sabalenka’s longevity as the top-ranked player in women’s tennis. “Well, it’s a great achievement, of course, and to stay so long as No. 1, you need to be very consistent,” she said.

“She showed great tennis for the past couple of years, so of course my goal is to get even higher in the ranking, to get this position as No. 1, but I know it’s still a lot of work. It all depends on the other players too. Yeah, definitely that’s my biggest goal, next goal. So, yeah, I will try to do it this year, and hopefully it happens.”

Andreozzi and Guinard capture men’s doubles title

In a battle of unseeded teams, both whom have been enjoying superb weeks, Guido Andreozzi of Argentina and Manuel Guinard of France fought past cousins Arthur Rinderknech of France and Valentin Vacherot of Monaco to win 7-6 (3), 6-3 in one hour and 23 minutes on Stadium 1.

It was the first title in their second final for the Argentine/French duo, who improved to 21-12 since making their debut as a team last year at the US Open in August. Their title victory lifted their win-loss record this season to 10-5. 

En route to the title victory, Andreozzi and Guinard defeated Aussies Alex de Minaur and John Peers in the first round and No. 7 seeds Francisco Cabral of Portugal and Lukas Miedler of Austria in the second round in straight sets before rallying from a set down to defeat No. 4 seeds Christian Harrison of the United States and Neal Skupski of Great Britain in the quarterfinals. They upset No. 1 seeds Marcel Granollers of Spain and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina in the semifinals to advance to the final.

Against Rinderknech and Vacherot, Andreozzi and Guinard won 74 percent (28 of 38) of their first-serve points, saved four of five break points, converted two of six break-point chances and outpointed their opponents 67-57.

Siniakova and Townsend gain revenge, win women’s doubles title

Saturday afternoon’s women’s doubles final paired two of the Top-5 seeded teams, No. 3 seeds Katerina Siniakova of Czechia and Taylor Townsend of the United States against Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia. 

Danilina and Krunic came in having won both of the previous meetings between these two pairings, in the 2025 Roland-Garros quarterfinals and earlier this year in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. However, this time, Siniakova and Townsend gained revenge and won, 7-6 (4), 6-4, in one hour and 34 minutes on Stadium 1.

It was the fourth crown for Siniakova and Townsend, who previously won titles at Wimbledon in 2024, the Australian Open in 2025 and the WTA 1000 in Dubai last year. While it’s the first Indian Wells crown for Townsend, for Siniakova it’s her second following her 2023 title victory with longtime partner Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia.

Now 53-13 as a team (8-1 this season), Siniakova and Townsend combined to win 79 percent (33 of 42) of their first-serve points, converted two of nine break-point opportunities and outpointed their opponents 75-55. Danilina and Krunic, who earlier this season won the Doha title, fell to 19-5 this season (42-15 overall).

Bencic and Cobolli win mixed doubles invitational

In the mixed doubles invitational final, unseeded Belinda Bencic of Switzerland and Flavio Cobolli of Italy upset top seeds Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Lloyd Glasspool of Great Britain, 6-3, 2-6, 10-7, in one hour and 11 minutes on Stadium 3. The Swiss/Italian duo won 78 percent (21 of 27) of their first-serve points, saved three of five break points and outpointed Dabrowski and Glasspool 58-48.

Saturday’s Indian Wells results

Sunday’s Indian Wells order of play

By the numbers

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner entered play on Saturday tied for the most ATP Masters 1000 wins since the start of the 2022 season with 85.

“Quotable …”

“I feel like if you want to be on the top, you always have to search for something, for little details to add to your game so you can be really unpredictable. And, yeah, to have all those tools in your game, that’s, you know, definitely gives you so much of advantage over other players.

Definitely, compared to myself a couple years ago, I’m definitely much better player, more complete player, and I know that if my plan A is not working, I have plan B and C. That’s what we have been really working a lot [on] over the last couple of years.”

– World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, during her post-match news conference Friday, describing why she feels she’s a better player now than in the past.

 

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