2026 Indian Wells Champion, Sinner Equals Djokovic and Federer

Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner has officially joined the ranks of world tennis legends by becoming the third player in history to complete the collection of prestigious titles at top-level tournaments on hard courts.

This achievement was established by him after defeating Daniil Medvedev in the 2026 Indian Wells final. Before Sinner, only two icons of the tennis world, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, had achieved similar accomplishments: winning all six ATP Masters 1000 tournaments on hard courts, while also triumphing at the Nitto ATP Finals, Australian Open, and US Open.

At 24 years old, Sinner becomes the youngest among the three to complete this collection of prestigious titles. The victory over Medvedev in the Indian Wells final not only signifies another Masters 1000 title but also helps the Italian player etch his name into world tennis history.

In the final held on Sunday, Sinner defeated Medvedev with a score of 7-6(6), 7-6(4). Both sets were resolved through tense tie-breaks, creating an exciting showdown that continued the dramatic atmosphere following the women's singles final, where Aryna Sabalenka had a thrilling victory over Elena Rybakina.

Entering the match, Sinner held a slight advantage in head-to-head records, as the two players had previously met 15 times. The Italian player continued to demonstrate impressive form by winning the Indian Wells title without losing any set throughout the tournament.

This achievement also makes Sinner the first player since the Masters 1000 system was established in 1990 to win two consecutive Masters 1000 titles without losing a single set. Prior to Indian Wells, he also claimed the Paris Masters title last autumn with similarly dominant form.

Speaking after the victory, Sinner expressed respect for his Russian opponent: "First, I want to talk about Daniil and his team. It's great to see him competing at such a high level again. I know he trains very hard and has an excellent team behind him. Keep moving forward and never stop striving. I wish him all the best for the rest of the season."

The Italian player also thanked his coaching team and family: "Of course, I also want to thank my team, my family, and my friends back home. Everyone always pushes me to surpass my own limits. We arrived here very early to prepare for this tournament. Therefore, lifting this beautiful trophy becomes even more special. Thank you all for your support."

In his speech, Medvedev also praised the new champion. The Russian player acknowledged that Sinner is displaying very high-level form and is an extremely difficult opponent to defeat.

"First, I want to congratulate Jannik," Medvedev said. "You are playing incredible tennis. It's tough to face you. I tried my best, and this was a great match. Congratulations on everything you are doing."

Medvedev also mentioned Carlos Alcaraz, the opponent he defeated in the semifinals to prevent a dream final: "Whenever you play against Carlos, I always enjoy watching. This time, I was quite pleased to stop him from meeting you in the final. But I still really enjoy watching you compete. Keep winning and never stop."

After the match, Sinner shared another interesting detail: "Now I understand why people call this place tennis paradise. Today is also a special day for Italy. I am a big Formula One fan, and Kimi Antonelli winning the race in China makes today even more meaningful."

Along with Indian Wells, Sinner has now secured the complete set of Masters 1000 titles on hard courts, including tournaments in Miami, Canada, Cincinnati, Shanghai, and Paris. This achievement places him alongside Djokovic and Federer in an extremely elite group of men's tennis.

Notably, Federer completed this collection in 2014 when he was over 30 years old, while Djokovic achieved the same in 2018, also during the later stages of his peak career. Meanwhile, Sinner reached this historic milestone at just 24 years old, significantly earlier than the two legends.

After winning his first career Masters 1000 title in Toronto in 2023, the Italian player took less than three years to conquer all the remaining Masters 1000 tournaments on hard courts – an astonishing speed, showcasing the rapid rise of this emerging star in world tennis.