Jannik Sinner has joined an elite group of players by winning every major hard-court title in professional tennis. His first BNP Paribas Open crown, secured with a 7-6(6), 7-6(4) victory over Daniil Medvedev, completed a collection that includes the Australian Open, US Open, ATP Finals, and all six Masters 1000 titles.
The Italian had been the deserving favourite heading into the tournament after a dominant stretch of form at the end of the previous season. His campaign in California reinforced that status, with a fortnight that saw no sets dropped and a final in which not a single break point was conceded.
Medvedev was the opponent best suited to challenging Sinner’s dominance, drawing on his best form since his peak period as world number one. His 4-0 lead in the second tiebreak was a genuine threat, but Sinner’s seven-point comeback demonstrated that the champion could absorb pressure and deliver exceptional tennis simultaneously.
The world number one’s post-match reflections conveyed the personal significance of the win. Indian Wells had been the one event on the calendar he had identified as unfinished business, and claiming it in the manner he did — flawlessly, under pressure, against a top opponent — gave the achievement added meaning.
Sabalenka’s triumph in the women’s final rounded off an exceptional day of tennis. Her 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) victory over Rybakina, including a match-point save in the deciding tiebreak, earned her the first Indian Wells title of her career and ended a painful run of losses to her rival.