#07/2026: Six Masters. One Surface. Sinner Solves Hard Courts
A weekly note on the game. This seventh issue looks at Jannik Sinner completing the hard-court Masters set in Indian Wells and other stories from the week.
Six tournaments. Six trophies. One surface mastered.
With his victory at Indian Wells, Jannik Sinner has now won every ATP Masters 1000 played on hard courts. His sixth title at this level, the 25th of his career, does more than add another line to the résumé. On hard courts, the specialist has a name: Jannik Sinner.
By lifting the trophy in the Californian desert, the Italian completed the full set of Masters 1000 tournaments played on hard courts.
Let’s recap them:
2023 Canada Masters (d. A. de Minaur)
2024 Miami Masters (d. G. Dimitrov)
2024 Cincinnati Masters (d. F. Tiafoe)
2024 Shanghai Masters (d. N. Djokovic)
2025 Paris Masters (d. F. Auger-Aliassime)
2026 Indian Wells (d. D. Medvedev)
and… 2024 & 2025 Australian Open, 2024 US Open, ATP Finals 2024 & 2025
Another detail worth noting: the Italian did not drop a set this week either, despite playing four tie-breaks. The streak now stands at 11 consecutive Masters 1000 matches without losing a set, making him the first player to win back-to-back ATP Masters 1000 titles without dropping a set since the series began in 1990.
And the others?
Remember last week’s newsletter about the final that seemed destined to happen? The twist lies exactly there. Carlos Alcaraz lost his first match of the season, ending a 16-match winning streak and running straight into the eventual finalist Daniil Medvedev.
There was also encouraging news from the younger generation. Joao Fonseca, one of the most talked-about prospects on tour, made his presence felt. He reached the round of 16 to face Sinner and pushed the Italian in a tight battle decided by two tie-breaks. The talent is clearly there. If the pieces of the puzzle fall into place, there will be plenty more to enjoy.
On the women’s side
On the women’s side we witnessed yet another chapter of the rivalry between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, this time won by the world number one.
Sabalenka avenged the defeat she suffered against Rybakina at Indian Wells in 2023 and, perhaps more importantly, began to rebalance a rivalry that had recently tilted in the Kazakh’s favour. Rybakina had beaten her in the 2024 and 2025 WTA Finals, as well as in the Australian Open final earlier this season.
Rybakina, for her part, once again confirmed her champion’s status and climbed to world number two in the rankings, overtaking Iga Świątek.
What happens next?
The tour now moves quickly to Miami for another combined event. We already know that Novak Djokovic will not be taking part, meaning his next appearance in front of fans is expected on the clay courts of Monte Carlo.
Have a thought on this week’s story? Leave a comment below.
Results of the week
ATP Indian Wells
Jannik Sinner d. Daniil Medvedev 7-6(6) 7-6(4)
WTA Indian Wells
Aryna Sabalenka d. Elena Rybakina 3-6 6-3 7-6(6)
Challenger Cap Cana 175
Mariano Navone d. Mattia Bellucci 7-5 6-4
Challenger Phoenix 175
Ethan Quinn d. Marcos Giron 7-6(1) 4-6 7-5
Challenger Kigali 100
Marco Trungelliti d. Marco Cecchinato 4-6 6-0 6-3
Challenger Cherbourg 75
Pavel Kotov d. Filippo Romano 6-2 7-5
Challenger Santiago 75
Genaro Alberto Olivieri d. Henrique Rocha 6-4 6-4
Challenger Hersonissos 50
Toby Samuel d. Maxim Mrva 6-2 6-3