Jannik Sinner came through a titanic battle against Daniil Medvedev to claim his first Indian Wells title on Sunday.
There was little to split the pair throughout the match, with precisely zero breaks of serve across the contest.
Ultimately it was Sinner who prevailed, defeating the Russian 7-6, 7-6.
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Medvedev had his chances: he was 4-0 ahead in the second set tiebreak before losing seven consecutive points.
Despite the win, Sinner admitted that he had not played the perfect match.
Jannik Sinner admits he could have played more aggressively at points during the Indian Wells final
After conducting his ceremonial duties, Sinner spoke to the Sky Sports team: Tim Henman, Martina Navratilova and Gigi Salmon.
“It has been a very, very tough tournament,” Sinner admitted after the victory.
“In my mind I knew it was the only hard court tournament of the big ones that I have not won, so I am very happy about how I handled it.
“Of course, seeing Daniil playing again at this level it is important for tennis. When he plays at his best I feel he is very tough to beat, as we saw again today.
“I am very happy, I tried to stay very focused, very calm and in the tiebreak, so I was very happy.”
The 23-year-old went on to discuss the second-set tiebreak, acknowledging that he was feeling the pressure as he fell to a 0-4 deficit.
Jannik Sinner’s path to the 2026 Indian Wells title
- R2: def. Dalibor Svrčina — 6–1, 6–1
- R3: def. Denis Shapovalov — 6–3, 6–2
- R4: def. João Fonseca — 7–6, 7–6
- QF: def. Learner Tien — 6–1, 6–2
- SF: def. Alexander Zverev — 6–2, 6–4
- Final: def. Daniil Medvedev — 7–6, 7–6
“I was feeling the tension,” he said. “I tried to shake it off and after I was loose again.
“I felt maybe I held back a little bit, so that is a point I would like to improve.
“I felt like today I could have played more aggressively at times, but it’s all part of where I feel I can improve.”
Sinner need not worry too much about his game: the Italian performed superbly throughout the match, matching Medvedev’s excellent groundstroke play and utilising his serve to its full capacity.
What would have happened if Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner played at the same time as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal?
Sinner served nine aces against Medvedev, while winning 91 per cent of his first serve attempts.
As for Daniil Medvedev, the Russian can be proud of his performances in California.
The 30-year-old had a torrid time on the Tour last year, winning just one Grand Slam match all year.
Medvedev has revitalised his career at the start of 2026 and looks set to challenge for Grand Slam titles once again.
Jannik Sinner joins an exclusive list alongside Lleyton Hewitt and Rafael Nadal
As per OptaAce, Sinner has added his name to a historic list.
Since 2000, only six players have claimed 25 ATP-level titles before the age of 25: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Lleyton Hewitt, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Sinner could add another very soon, should he win the Miami Masters and complete the ‘Sunshine Double.’
No player has achieved the feat since Roger Federer in 2017.
The Miami Masters is set to begin on Tuesday. Jakub Mensik is the defending champion.
