Sinner and Djokovic Set for Indian Wells Doubles Clash After Accepting Wildcards
In a thrilling development for tennis fans, grand slam champions Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic are among several top singles players set to feature in the Indian Wells doubles tournament after accepting wildcards. The two stars could potentially come face-to-face on the doubles court in California, adding an extra layer of excitement to the prestigious event.
Challenging Draws for the Stars
Five-time Indian Wells singles champion Novak Djokovic has accepted a wildcard to play alongside Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas, while Jannik Sinner will partner with American Reilly Opelka. The draw has placed them in opposite halves, setting up a possible final clash. However, both pairs face formidable opponents in their opening rounds.
Sinner and Opelka are up against top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos, who were runners-up in 2024. Djokovic and Tsitsipas have drawn third seeds and defending champions Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic. This tough start highlights the competitive nature of the doubles field at Indian Wells.
Historical Context and Recent Form
Sinner and Opelka have previous doubles experience together, having won Sinner's only doubles title to date in Atlanta back in 2021. Djokovic, on the other hand, claimed the last of his joint-record five Indian Wells titles in 2016 but has struggled to progress beyond the quarter-finals since then. He arrives in the Californian desert fresh from a run to the Australian Open final in his most recent tournament, though he has not played ATP doubles since teaming up with Fernando Verdasco in Doha last February.
Strong Doubles Field Headlined by Regular Pairings
The doubles draw is headlined by established partnerships, including the all-British second seeds and reigning Wimbledon champions Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool. Britain's world number one Neal Skupski is seeded fourth alongside American Christian Harrison, having won the Australian Open title in January, making them among the favourites in Indian Wells.
Several other top players who predominantly play singles have entered the doubles draw, with the winning team set to split nearly $468,200. This lucrative prize has attracted a diverse array of talent, enhancing the tournament's appeal.
Notable Pairings and Comeback Stories
Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will partner Frenchman Arthur Fils, with Fils continuing his comeback from a recurring back injury that sidelined him for much of 2025. Cousins Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot, who created one of the feelgood stories of last season by both reaching the final of the Shanghai Masters, will play together again.
Two-time singles finalist Daniil Medvedev has teamed up with American youngster Learner Tien, who leads their singles head-to-head 3-1, including back-to-back wins over the Russian at the Australian Open in 2025 and 2026. Tien commented on the pairing, saying, "I think his coach texted my coach last minute, maybe the day before the deadline. I said, 'Sure', I thought it would be fun and so I'm looking forward to it. It was kind of random, because I don't think he plays that much doubles and neither do I, so I think we'll just go out and have fun."
Additional Wildcards and International Teams
Americans Emilio Nava and Ben Shelton have also received wildcards, while Felix Auger-Aliassime will play alongside another American, Sebastian Korda. Russians Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev, the latter a doubles runner-up in 2021, have teamed up as well. Rublev and Medvedev were among those affected by the outbreak of war in the Middle East; they were briefly stranded in Dubai where Medvedev won the ATP 500 title last week and Rublev reached the semi-finals.
The pair missed an exhibition tournament in California while waiting for flights out of Dubai but managed to arrive in time to begin their singles campaigns on Friday. This adds a layer of resilience to their participation in the doubles event.
