Streaks, records, milestones and more: Seven things at stake in Indian Wells

We’re just days away from the 2026 BNP Paribas Open.

It’s one of the biggest tournaments on the calendar—the first ATP Masters 1000 of the year, and the third WTA 1000 of the year—and with such a big stage comes all kinds of streaks, records and milestones to watch out for.

Here are seven things at stake at Indian Wells this year:

Carlos Alcaraz’s Perfect Start

The Spaniard has gotten off to a blistering 12-0 start to the year—his best start to a year in his career—picking up titles at the Australian Open and Doha. Now he returns to one of his favorite stomping grounds at Indian Wells, where he’s already an incredible 20-3 in his career, not only winning the title in back-to-back years in 2023 and 2024, but reaching the semifinals or better the last four years in a row.

Will he continue his perfect start to 2026 in the desert?

Jannik Sinner’s 2026 Restart

After finishing 2025 on a 15-match winning streak, the Italian has cooled off a little bit in 2026, falling in the semifinals of the Australian Open and the quarterfinals of Doha, his first time falling before the final at back-to-back events since 2024. He’ll try to restart his momentum at Indian Wells, where his best results are two semifinals—it’s actually the only Masters 1000 event on hard courts he hasn’t won yet.

Sinner can’t catch Alcaraz for the No. 1 ranking in Indian Wells, but he can certainly cut into the 3,150-point gap…

The Sincaraz Title Streak

Whenever Alcaraz and Sinner are both in the draw, one of them has gone on to win the last 17 tournaments they’ve played, an incredible streak that includes eight Grand Slam events, two ATP Finals, five Masters 1000s and two ATP 500s. To find the last time they were both in the draw and one of them didn't win the title, you have to go all the way back to Andrey Rublev capturing the title in Madrid... in 2024.

Can anyone break through the Sincaraz firewall?

Novak Djokovic, King of Indian Wells?

Speaking of breaking through the Sincaraz firewall, if there’s anyone who knows how to do it, it’s Djokovic—he’s the only player ever to beat both Alcaraz and Sinner at the same tournament, achieving the feat at the 2023 ATP Finals, where he beat the Spaniard in the semifinals and the Italian in the final (and by 6-3, 6-2 and 6-3, 6-3 scorelines, respectively).

The world No. 3, who’s playing for the first time since his run to the Australian Open final, is also going for history at Indian Wells this year—with five, he’s currently tied for most titles in tournament history with Roger Federer, and a sixth crown would set a new record. He already has the record for most overall Masters 1000 titles in history, with 40.

Aryna Sabalenka, Hard-Court Queen

Like Djokovic, Sabalenka is playing for the first time since her run to the Australian Open final, but for someone who’s won almost all of the biggest hard-court events on the calendar before, there’s one glaring missing piece—Indian Wells. She’s come close before, reaching two finals in 2023 and 2025, but she’ll chase her first title here this year. She’ll also be going for the milestone 10th WTA 1000 title of her career.

And like Alcaraz, Sabalenka’s No. 1 ranking is safe in Indian Wells—she’s 3,087 points ahead of her closest challenger. But with 650 ranking points to defend for reaching last year’s final, her rivals can certainly cut into the gap.

Iga Swiatek Going For Indian Wells History

Oddly enough, in the 36 previous editions of the women’s event at Indian Wells, there’s never been a three-time champion. There have been 10 two-time women’s winners, namely Martina Navratilova, Mary Joe Fernandez, Steffi Graf, Lindsay Davenport, Serena Williams, Kim Clijsters, Daniela Hantuchova, Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka and most recently Swiatek, who won the title in the last two even years in 2022 and 2024. She'll try to keep that pattern going—and become the first three-time women's champion—in 2026.

And while Sabalenka’s No. 1 ranking is safe, Swiatek’s No. 2 ranking isn’t—Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, the current No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5, will all have a shot at taking the second spot on the WTA rankings from her.

Jack Draper and Mirra Andreeva’s Big Defenses

Both had breakthrough runs to the Indian Wells title last year—for Draper it was the first Masters 1000 title of his career and propelled him into the Top 10 for the first time, while for Andreeva it was her second straight WTA 1000 title, and she did it the hard way, beating No. 2 Swiatek and No. 1 Sabalenka back to back in the semis and final.

For Draper, a repeat run might be a tall order—he’s been out for most of the last eight months with an arm injury and is currently ranked No. 15 after all the time he missed. He could drop out of the Top 20 (or even further) with an early loss.

Andreeva, meanwhile, will be one of the main contenders this year, not just because of her run here a year ago, but because she’s had a strong start to the season, going 11-4 and already capturing a title at the WTA 500 event in Adelaide. The world No. 8 could still remain in the Top 10 even with an early loss at Indian Wells this year.