Tennis: 2026 Indian Wells Open - Preview, draw and how to watch the first Masters 1000 of the season live

The 2026 Indian Wells Open takes centre stage this week, with the first ATP Masters 1000 event of the season alongside one of the biggest WTA 1000 tournaments of the year.

Main-draw play begins on Wednesday, 4 March at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California, with the tournament running through to the singles finals on Sunday 15 March. As the opening leg of the Sunshine Double (the back-to-back hard-court Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami), the event offers an early opportunity for the sport’s biggest names to lay down a marker.

Defending champions return to the desert alongside the leading seeds on both tours, with significant ranking points and momentum at stake.

Here’s what you need to know about the draw, schedule and how to watch live.

Indian Wells 2026: Key details

The BNP Paribas Open runs from 1–15 March 2026 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California.

Main-draw matches begin on Wednesday 4 March, with the tournament concluding on Sunday 15 March, when both the men’s and women’s singles finals take place.

Often referred to as the “fifth Grand Slam”, Indian Wells is one of the biggest combined events outside the four majors, featuring ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 competition across singles and doubles.

Players to watch at Indian Wells 2026

Alcaraz and Sinner headline men’s field

World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz arrives in California in strong early-season form, having won the Australian Open and followed it up with the Qatar Open title in Doha. The Paris 2024 silver medallist is a two-time Indian Wells champion (2023, 2024) and will be looking to add a third title in the desert this year.

Four-time Grand Slam champion and reigning ATP Finals champion Jannik Sinner is again among the leading contenders. The Italian has yet to win a title in 2026, following a semi-final exit at the Australian Open and a quarter-final defeat in Doha.

Currently sixth in the ATP Live Race to Turin, Sinner will look to rediscover momentum at a tournament where he has reached the semi-finals in each of the past two years but is still chasing a first Indian Wells title.

Sabalenka, Swiatek and Andreeva lead women’s contenders

Defending champion Mirra Andreeva returns to Indian Wells after her title run in 2025, when she defeated Aryna Sabalenka in three sets in the final.

But World No.1 Sabalenka is one of the favourites for the crown after enjoying a strong 2025, winning a second consecutive US Open title and reaching the final of the French Open. She will look to add a first Indian Wells title to her résumé after finishing runner-up last year.

Former champion Elena Rybakina, who lifted the trophy here in 2023, also brings major pedigree. The Kazakh claimed the Australian Open title earlier this season (beating Sabalenka in the final) and has repeatedly shown her ability to perform on hard courts at the sport’s biggest events.

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