Jannik and Reilly will immediately face the number one seeds, specialists Granollers and Zeballos. With the prize money increased, many big names have signed up with new pairings: Djokovic is also there, with Tsitsipas
It all started with a round of mutual compliments: “He was serving very well, and he also worked well in response. I can only thank him for playing with me,” said Sinner. And Reilly Opelka reciprocated: “It was a lot of fun, also because when you have a guy who responds as well as Jannik, you can beat anyone. Impressive to watch, and the great thing is that he’s only nineteen: believe me, his mind works differently from the rest of the circuit.” Summer 2021, time for experiments: in Atlanta, Jannik treated himself to a run in the doubles, winning his first and only title in the specialty with the American giant. The pair are back together five years later: who knows, maybe they’ll want to play another trick on their (very wealthy) competitors in Indian Wells.
Sinner the doubles player is back for the first time since June 2025: on that occasion, the South Tyrolean teamed up with his friend Sonego in Halle, losing in the first round to Khachanov and Michelsen. This time, in California, the debut is even more difficult: Jannik and Opelka face the number one seeds, specialists Granollers and Zeballos, who played in the final at Indian Wells in 2024 and have already reached a final in Dallas and a semifinal at the Australian Open this season. Curiously, Sinner has already faced the Spanish-Argentine pair, suffering two defeats (in Beijing in 2023 paired with De Minaur and in Indian Wells two years ago paired with Sonego) and one victory (in Monte Carlo in 2023, where he played with Schwartzman).
SUPER DRAW— In California, thanks in part to the increase in prize money for the specialty, many have entered the doubles. The draw is quite intriguing, as the Italians include Darderi (with Cerundolo), Cobolli (with Moutet), and Vavassori (not with his long-time partner Bolelli, but with Austrian Alexander Erler). Not only that: the spotlight is on the pair Learner Tien-Daniil Medvedev, who have faced each other repeatedly over the last year and this time are playing on the same side of the court. Against them are two other much-talked-about players on the circuit: cousins Rinderknech and Vacherot, finalists in Shanghai in the last historic edition of the singles.
DJOKOVIC AND ZVEREV TOO— If Sinner is successful in his debut, he could face another friend from the circuit. Namely Alexander Bublik: the Kazakh is competing alongside Maroszan, but in his debut he faces two specialists in Doumbia and Reboul. A possible quarterfinal against another luxury pair such as Davidovich Fokina and Fils. But the surprises don’t end there: after three tournaments played as a doubles player in 2025 (one in mixed doubles with Olga Danilovic, one with Verdasco and, above all, one in Brisbane with Nick Kyrgios), Djokovic is also entering the draw, ready to make his debut alongside Tsitsipas. The unlikely pairing will have to give their best right from the start to try to surprise two specialists in the discipline, Arevalo and Pavic. The Serbian and the Greek are on the opposite side of the draw from Sinner: alongside them are Auger-Aliassime and Korda, ready to team up to face Alexander Zverev, who has entered with his trusted partner Marcelo Melo, in their debut. Sascha and the Brazilian are fresh from their triumph in the Acapulco 500. It’s going to be an exciting match.
