World number two Jannik Sinner edges out 11th seed Daniil Medvedev in two tiebreaks to claim his maiden BNP Paribas Open title, becoming the third man to complete the set of titles at all six Masters 1000 hard-court tournaments on Sunday.
Championship Sunday in Tennis Paradise saw former world number one Jannik Sinner and resurgent Daniil Medvedev gracing the court to battle for the BNP Paribas Open crown in their first meeting on tour since 2024.
The wait proved worthy as both title contenders delivered dazzling tennis in a fast-paced showdown in front of a packed Stadium at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on a sunny Sunday.
The Italian overpowered the former US Open champion with a hard-fought 7-6(6), 7-6(4) win in one hour and 55 minutes to lift his first trophy this season.
Neither player was able to break the other throughout the title match.
During the trophy ceremony, Sinner outlined: βI want to start with Daniil and your team. Itβs great to see you back playing at this kind of level. Keep going and keep pushing.β
A tight first set went into a tiebreak, which Sinner took 7-6(6) in 60 minutes, kicking up a level on serve, winning 96 percent of the points on his first service.
Small margins separated the players across an intense opening set, with Medvedev dominant from the baseline, ramping up his aggression.
With consistency and confidence, the 30-year-old, who stunned world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz to reach his third final at the venue, found an edge on his second delivery to win 55 percent of the points on the return with depth.
In the lead-up to the championship match, he said: βRight now, I'm in confidence, and when I'm in confidence, I always said I feel like I'm an aggressive player, especially on my serve.β
Indeed, playing high-level tennis, the 11th seed displayed a solid performance behind his serve, but so did his adversary when it mattered most.
Across the net, the 24-year-olds ' all-around game paid dividends, as he capitalized on his opponent's errors to generate the only double break point opportunity of the set.
However, the 23-time ATP title holder navigated out of danger without hesitation, inching ahead 4-3.
He held onto his advantage for the remainder of the set until the second seed found breathing room to steal the tiebreaker relentlessly.
Moreover, both players built on the impressive run of form they showcased throughout the seasonβs first Masters 1000 event, advancing to the final without dropping a set.
In the second set, they picked up where they left off, maintaining the intensity and speed in ruthless baseline exchanges in the California desert.
Sinner's heavy-hitting proved lethal, adding to his flawless net display to win 100 percent of his net approaches, leading 6-5.
Mixing his shots, the player coached by Thomas Johansson managed to stay alive in the match, guaranteeing a second-set tiebreak.
Medvedev took the initiative, winning four points in a row, but then the four-time Grand Slam champion flipped the script.
Staying cool under pressure, he not only erased his deficit but moved forward on his way to claim his first triumph in Indian Wells.
With the wind in his sails, he prevailed after a 16-shot rally, rushing to sentence the set 7-6(4) and the contest in style.
βTough to play against you β I tried my best," Medvedev said, sharing his thoughts with the new champion.
βI was happy not to let Carlos play you again. I love watching you guys, love what you do β go for it, continue winning, and never stop.β
All in all, Italy's No. 1 racquet hit 28 winners (10 aces) against 31 unforced errors, compared to Medvedev's 15 and 24, respectively.
In addition, he won 91 percent of the points on his first serve.
Next, both players will head to Miami, where the brand new champion will pursue the Sunshine Double.