The California desert is set for a star-studded return to tennis as the ATP and WTA Masters 1000 tournament at Indian Wells kicks off.
Former champion Carlos Alcaraz aims to extend his flawless 2026 start, while Jannik Sinner looks to capture his first title of the year after a turbulent but ultimately triumphant 2025.
Alcaraz, 22, fresh off a historic Australian Open victory that made him the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam, arrives in the U.S. riding a 12-match winning streak, including a Qatar Open title.
The top seed faces a challenging second-round match against former world number three Grigor Dimitrov or in-form left-hander Terence Atmane.
Third-seeded Novak Djokovic, chasing a record sixth Indian Wells crown to surpass Roger Federer, also looms in his half of the draw.
Sinner, meanwhile, opens against either Australian James Duckworth or Czech qualifier Dalibor Svrcina.
The Italian missed last year's event serving a suspension for a banned steroid but bounced back to win Wimbledon and the ATP Finals.
Despite losses in the Australian Open semis to Djokovic and a Doha quarterfinal exit to Jakob Mensik, Sinner says he is building on momentum.
“It has been a very hard practice week here for me,” he said, emphasizing his focus on aggression and refinement at the baseline. The 22-year-old has previously won five Masters 1000 hard-court tournaments, including Toronto, Miami, Cincinnati, Shanghai, and Paris.
On the women's side, world number one Aryna Sabalenka returns to Indian Wells seeking her first title after falling in last year’s final to Russian teen Mirra Andreeva and in 2023 to Elena Rybakina.
Sabalenka will start against Japanese qualifier Himeno Sakatsume or U.S. wild card Alycia Parks, with Naomi Osaka and Amanda Anisimova awaiting deeper in her quarter. Rybakina, the third seed, highlighted the desert conditions’ challenges: “It's not easy to get short points, free points. You need to work for each point.”
Second-seeded Iga Swiatek, a two-time Indian Wells champion, also faces a tough path, with a potential quarterfinal against Andreeva, who upset her in last year’s semis.
Djokovic, 38, remains a formidable presence despite his age, having pushed Alcaraz to the limit in the Australian Open final after defeating defending champion Sinner in a five-set thriller.
“I can still compete at the highest level and beat these guys,” Djokovic said. “As long as I have the fire and motivation, I’ll keep going. I enjoy the thrill of competition and performing in front of the fans.”
The Serb, a five-time Indian Wells champion, continues to tailor his schedule around the Grand Slams and select events, keeping his focus sharp and his ranking among the elite.
