California [US], March 2: The first ATP Masters 1000 event of the season commences on Wednesday at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic lead the field.
Alcaraz is a two-time champion at the hard-court event, while Sinner is yet to taste success in the California desert. Djokovic will be seeking a record sixth crown and first since 2016. Top 10 stars Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton lead American hopes.
ATPTour.com looks at 10 things to watch during the 2026 BNP Paribas Open.
Can Alcaraz maintain his
perfect start to the season?
Alcaraz arrives in Indian Wells holding a perfect 12-0 record on the season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. The 22-year-old Spaniard completed the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open and then won his 13th ATP 500 title in Doha. The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings is a two-time champion in Indian Wells.
Can Sinner complete the set?
Sinner has won all five of the other ATP Masters 1000 hard-court events but is yet to triumph in the Californian desert. The Italian, chasing his first trophy of 2026, reached the semi-finals in Indian Wells in 2023 and 2024.
Djokovic seeks
record sixth crown:
If Djokovic can triumph at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for the first time since 2016, he will move clear of Roger Federer as a record six-time champion. The 38-year-old Serbian is competing for the first time since he reached the Australian Open final last month.
Fritz spearheads home charge:
Fritz knows how to get over the line in Indian Wells. The Californian, who frequently visited the BNP Paribas Open during his childhood, overcame Rafael Nadal to win the biggest title of his career at the 2022 tournament. The 28-year-old's best result this season was a final run at the ATP 500 event in Dallas.
American charge:
Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul, Learner Tien and Brandon Nakashima will all be seeded on home soil in Indian Wells. World No. 8 Shelton won the title in Dallas and is seeking his second Masters 1000 trophy after winning Toronto last season. Tiafoe (2023) and Paul (2024) are former semi-finalists in Indian Wells, while Tien is searching for his first win at the event. Nakashima reached the fourth round last year.
Defending champion Draper:
Jack Draper returned to the ATP Tour in Dubai last week after being sidelined for six months due to a left arm injury. The British lefty won the biggest trophy of his career last year in Indian Wells, where he defeated Holger Rune in the championship match. Cameron Norrie is also in the draw. The 30-year-old won Indian Wells in 2021.
Zverev seeks winning formula:
World No. 4 Alexander Zverev is a seven-time Masters 1000 champion but has never advanced beyond the quarter-finals in Indian Wells. The 28-year-old German will hope to change that record this fortnight.
Top 10 threats:
Lorenzo Musetti, Alex de Minaur, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alexander Bublik are all chasing their first Masters 1000 titles in Indian Wells. De Minaur, Auger-Aliassime and Bublik have all lifted tour-level trophies this year, triumphing in Rotterdam, Montpellier and Hong Kong, respectively.
Next Gen stars Fonseca
& Jodar in action:
Joao Fonseca will hope to kick-start his year in Indian Wells, where he is making his second appearance. The 19-year-old Brazilian, who is 1-3 on the season, is joined in the draw by 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar. Jodar has earned three tour-level wins in 2026 and will make his debut at the hard-court event after receiving a wild card.
Medvedev/Tien headline
fun doubles draw:
Tien leads Medvedev 3-1 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series but they will join forces in the doubles draw in Indian Wells. Other teams include Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Sebastian Korda, and Alex de Minaur and John Peers. Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic are the defending champions.
Source: Qatar Tribune
