“Sunshine Doubles” has been recorded in history, and now it will be launched on clay! Before we get completely immersed in the red stuff, let’s take a look back at a big month for tennis in Indian Wells and Miami.
don’t forget the sinner
Two months without a title is a very long time in our recency-biased reality of What Have You Done for Me Lately. Long enough to write a tennis obituary for a 24-year-old prodigy who has done nothing but grow, grow, grow in the past three years
Guess what? Jannik Sinner is still growing, and his dominance on hard courts (temporarily broken by Novak Djokovic in Australia) remains intact.
Sinner’s stunning performance in the Sunshine Doubles – the first man to win the match without dropping a set – reminded us that he still has a good chance of competing for world No. 1 and winning more Grand Slam titles.
Is Alina an adult?
What’s amazing about Aryna Sabalenka’s Sunshine Double is that she was able to overcome the demons of her previous finals in the toughest of games and prove herself in the most important moments. We know she’s going to give herself a chance to win two titles this March, but we’re not sure she’ll be so composed in the crucial moments of the final. Her championship point save against Rybakina in the Indian Wells final was the stuff of dreams, and her victory over Gauff despite a tough second set loss to a player who had her number in a big final showed just how far she has come.
Now, can she continue this form into the finals of the competition?
Not worried about Carlitos?
As far as winning titles goes, Alcaraz is 2-0 in Indian Wells and Miami, but a slight dip in form seems natural after he started the season hot and won his first 16 games. There’s nothing to worry about here, expect the Spaniard to be rejuvenated the moment he steps on clay.
Is Mboko next?
Back-to-back quarterfinals in Indian Wells and Miami tell you everything you need to know about 19-year-old Victoria Mboko. As a student of the game, a dedicated and mature pro, she soaks up these experiences like a sponge and proves to herself with every passing week that she belongs. Based on what we’ve seen, she hasn’t even begun to reach her potential yet, but already seems to be getting pretty good at delivering consistent results on the board.
Phils factor
Arthur Fils is two months into his recovery from a stress fracture in his back and he looks like a can’t-miss figure again. Back-to-back quarterfinals in Indian Wells and Miami were filled with memorable moments – please say you didn’t miss the Frenchman saving four consecutive match points against Tommy Paul in Miami – and reminded us that the next great French performer is already here. Now stay healthy and keep winning.
Who is Thalia?
Haha, it’s Gibson, a name we all remember because the Australian qualified at both Indian Wells and Miami before reaching the quarterfinals in both events and racking up seven top-50 wins.
Gibson plays hard, has tremendous power, and she’s unlocked some things in her game. The next challenge? Keep it unlocked. We’ll be seeing a lot more of her now, as she’s moved into the top 10 and ended the month at No. 56 – the second-highest-ranked Australian woman!
Fritz’s knee on Fritz?
Here’s what we do and don’t know about Taylor Fritz’s knee: It’s still a question mark.
Fritz continued to balance recovery with competition, but opted to skip Monte Carlo after reaching the third round in Indian Wells and the fourth round in Miami.
Still ranked eighth in the world, with only 270 points to defend between now and the French Open, it may be time to reset.
Medvedev remains a force
His victory over Carlos Alcaraz in Indian Wells and his strong performance against Jannik Sinner in the final made it clear: Daniil Medvedev still has a lot to offer. He’s back in the top 10 and – let’s be honest – looked like a top-five player heading into Indian Wells.
Iga still has a mountain to climb
Now ranked 4th and ranked 11th in the competition! – It’s clear that Iga Swiatek has her work cut out for her this spring. The Pole has become a non-factor in the women’s game in 2026, with zero titles and an overall record of 12-6. It will be interesting to see how the Queen of Clay fares on her favorite surface and who she hires to replace the recently fired Wim Fissette as her coach.
Will clay be a tonic for Iga, as it has been so often throughout her career? Or will she become even more depraved due to work pressure?
doubles and doubles
Let’s not forget the huge accomplishments of Taylor Townsend and Katrina Siniakova on the doubles court in March. They defeated Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini in the Miami final to become the sixth team to win the Sunshine Double.
Ten-time Grand Slam doubles champion Siniakova won her first title in Miami – as did Townsend.
On to the clay!
