Will Carlos Alcaraz remain undefeated through Indian Wells? TC Analysts think so

The 2026 BNP Paribas Open is just around the corner—main-draw action kicks off Wednesday, March 4—and all eyes are on the top players as they descend on Tennis Paradise.

Tennis Channel’s team of analyst handicapped the field and made their picks of all the must-watch players heading into the Sunshine Swing.

1. *Which player are you most excited to see play in Tennis Paradise?*

2. Which player is most likely to kickstart their 2026 season in Indian Wells?

Next up: Which Australian Open champion is more likely to win the BNP Paribas Open: Carlos Alcaraz or Elena Rybakina?

🖥📲️Stream all the action from Indian Wells **on the TC App**!

EUGENIE BOUCHARD

Carlos Alcaraz. He hasn’t lost a match all year (12-0 after two tournaments), and is making his schedule wisely (as in, not playing too much!). He is winning a lot but should still feel fresh heading into the BNP Paribas Open.

BRETT HABER

Carlos Alcaraz. No offense to Elena Rybakina, who could easily win Indian Wells as well, but Carlitos looks like the clear favorite to win every tournament he enters.

Brimming with confidence, Alcaraz has only gotten stronger since splitting with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero and has considerably increased the gap between himself and even No. 2 Jannik Sinner—an especially notable development given the Italian has zero points to defend for the next two months.

SAM QUERREY

Carlos Alcaraz. His only real competition is Sinner, and even that has become more of a question as Alcaraz has considerably raised his level through title runs in Melbourne and Doha.

On the women’s side, Elena Rybakina is absolutely playing great tennis but the women's field is much deeper, so it's tough to pick her over Carlos in a battle of who is more likely to win.

PAUL ANNACONE

Carlos Alcaraz. Because of grittier courts I go Carlos to win his third Indian Wells title over Elena to win her second. It’s tougher to finish points in Tennis Paradise and the combination of his superior movement and offensive variety makes him extremely tough to beat in these conditions.

NICK MONROE

Which AO champion is more likely to win Indian Wells? That’s easy Carlos Alcaraz.