The Jannik Sinner Indian Wells title run ended with a statement victory on Sunday, as the Italian beat Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) to win his first career crown in California. The result gave Sinner his first title of 2026 and brought him closer to world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the ATP rankings.
Sinner, seeded second, beat the 11th-seeded Medvedev in straight sets after a tense final in which neither player dropped serve. ATP Tour reporting confirmed the win and noted that it completed Sinner’s set of all six ATP Masters 1000 hard-court titles.
Sinner is now 2,200 points behind Alcaraz. That ranking shift came after Medvedev ended Alcaraz’s run in the semi-finals, only for Sinner to stop the Russian in the title match.
Jannik Sinner’s Indian Wells Title Seals Perfect Week
Sinner did not lose a set during the tournament. According to ATP Tour reporting, he became just the third man after Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer to complete the set of six ATP Masters 1000 hard-court titles.
The final, however, was far from easy. Medvedev led 4-0 in the second-set tiebreak before Sinner responded by winning seven straight points to close out the match.
After the win, Sinner called it a “very, very tough match” and said he was happy to share the moment with his team and friends. He also said he kept believing during the late tiebreak turnaround.
How Sinner beat Medvedev in the final
The match was tight from start to finish. Neither player lost serve, and Sinner did not face a break point, while Medvedev saved the only two he faced. Sinner held the edge in key attacking numbers. He struck 10 aces to Medvedev’s seven and produced 28 winners compared with 15 from the Russian.
He was also more effective behind his first serve, winning 91 per cent of those points. That consistency helped him survive the pressure moments and finish the match in two sets.
This was Sinner’s first title of 2026 and his maiden Indian Wells crown. It also strengthened his momentum after winning in Paris last November; he has now won consecutive Masters 1000 titles without dropping a set.
The victory added another milestone to his career. He now has 100 Masters 1000 victories and a 9-7 career record against Medvedev, including wins in nine of their last 10 meetings.
