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Andrey Rublev has revealed he does not view Carlos Alcaraz as being “invincible” and asserted that it is “better not to go out on the court” if “you don’t believe.”

Alcaraz holds a perfect 12-0 record in 2026, having started his campaign by winning the Australian Open before adding the ATP 500 crown in Doha last week.

The 22-year-old Spaniard’s victory at the Qatar Open extended his lead as the world No 1, taking his points total to 13,550 — the fourth-highest ranking points figure in ATP history.

The seven-time major winner defeated Rublev, who was the reigning champion, 7-6(3), 6-4 in a high-level semi-final in Doha.

In an interview with Spanish news outlet Marca, Rublev was asked if he is a player who considers Alcaraz to be unbeatable.

“I think it’s more of a question for him because he’s the one winning the matches,” said the world No 18, who has been ranked as high as fifth.

“My feeling is that I want to beat him. And that I want to be competitive enough to win titles. You can’t get it into your head that he’s invincible.

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“You have to respect Carlos and any other opponent, but at the same time believe in yourself and think you can win. If you don’t believe it, it’s better not to go out on the court.”

Asked what conclusions he drew from his latest match with Alcaraz, Rublev said: “I learned a lot. The first is that I’m on the right track. It’s the first match where I felt competitive playing against him from the baseline.

“In previous matches, including the one I won against him in Madrid or when I won a set, it was more because Carlos played poorly or because I, at times, played very well. The Doha match was completely different.

“It’s true that he played well, without doing anything incredible, but I was able to compete on equal terms from the baseline. I felt like I could keep up with his pace, his power, his intensity… And it’s the first time I’ve noticed that with Alcaraz on the other side of the net.

“The other times we’d played, if I didn’t finish the point on the third or fourth shot, I had no chance. I couldn’t keep up with his pace or his intensity, something that did happen in Qatar.

“Before, the only tactic that worked for me was hitting a winner because, if we got into a rally, he would take complete control.

“In the recent semi-finals, I felt there was no need to play so quickly and I could defend the long rallies. To beat him, it’s also a matter of details that he does better than I do.”

Rublev holds a 1-5 head-to-head record against Alcaraz.

READ NEXT: ATP Indian Wells: How many points will Alcaraz, Sinner, Djokovic, Draper drop at ATP 1000 event?

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Former US tennis player Steve Johnson has questioned whether Coco Gauff should have made a critical comment towards her coach during her Dubai Tennis Championships defeat.

World No 4 Gauff progressed to the semi-final of the WTA 1000 event last week, with the American ultimately beaten by Elina Svitolina in a three-set thriller.

The two-time Grand Slam singles champion showcased her characteristic grit and determination to save a string of match points in an extraordinary second-set tiebreak, though ultimately was beaten 6-4, 6-7(13), 6-4 by the Ukrainian.

Gauff fought hard during her semi-final defeat, but much like in other matches across her campaign in Dubai, her serve proved problematic at times.

The 21-year-old hit 12 double faults during her loss to Svitolina, and at one point vented her frustration towards Gavin MacMillan, one of her coaches.

Biomechanical expert MacMillan joined Gauff’s team ahead of the US Open last August, after she split with Matt Daly — who was also a biomechanics technician.

Gauff’s serve has remained troublesome throughout large spells of her partnership with MacMillan, who works alongside the American’s long-time coach, J.C Faurel.

And, after double faulting at 3-3 in set two, the American commented directly to MacMillan: “I’ve been doing everything you wanted for six months… I’m not better at all.”

The comment instantly drew attention and took many by surprise.

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Speaking on Nothing Major, former world No 21 Johnson admitted that he was among those surprised to see the reigning French Open champion make such a comment during the middle of a match.

He said: “It looked like she was saying: ‘I’ve done everything you’ve asked and I’m still serving like this.’

“That’s not what you want to be saying mid-match. I said that to my coaches a lot: ‘Why am I playing so bad?’ But that was more of a me issue.

“She’s much better than me. So you would expect her not to have those kinds of in-match meltdowns.”

Gauff is not in action this week and will return to court for the WTA 1000 event in Indian Wells next fortnight.

Action in California marks her first tournament on American soil this year, and will be swiftly followed by the Miami Open — another WTA 1000 event, and the second half of the ‘Sunshine Double’.

Home expectations will be high for the world No 4 in both events, with Gauff part of a strong US group in the top 10 of the WTA Rankings, alongside world No 5 Jessica Pegula, and world No 6 Amanda Anisimova.

However, the tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami have not traditionally been her happiest hunting grounds.

Gauff was a semi-finalist in Indian Wells in 2024 and a quarter-finalist back in 2023, though was beaten in the fourth round by Belinda Bencic twelve months ago.

Meanwhile, she has never made it to the quarter-finals of the Miami Open in six previous attempts, with the American falling in the fourth round in 2022, 2024, and 2025.

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Craig Tiley has been announced as the new chief executive of The United States Tennis Association and is set to leave his role with Tennis Australia.

Tiley had been the CEO of Tennis Australia since 2013, having served as the tournament director of the Australian Open since 2006. He joined Tennis Australia in 2005 as the director of player development.

The South African, who coached the Illinois US college tennis team from 1993 to 2005, will begin his role at the USTA later in 2026.

Tiley said: “I am truly honoured to step into the role of CEO of the USTA later this year. I’ve long admired the organisation’s leadership in growing the game across the United States and the extraordinary success of the US Open.

“I’m excited to return to American tennis and to work alongside our leadership locally and nationally to continue building the sport’s reach, impact, and future.

“Tennis is one of the few truly global sports that you can play for a lifetime, at any level, and that’s part of its magic. It has an incredible ability to bring people together — players, fans, communities — across countries and cultures.

“I firmly believe the opportunity ahead for our sport is enormous. We’re moving from engaging millions who attend events live to connecting with billions of fans around the world digitally, year-round.

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“If we continue to innovate and tell the story of our sport in a compelling way, tennis will only grow stronger, more connected, and more impactful in the years ahead.”

In a statement, USTA chair and co-CEO Brian Vahaly said: “From the very beginning of this process, our top priority was identifying the right leader to accelerate participation growth and help us achieve our goal of reaching 35 million players by 2035.

“Craig brings a rare combination of global credibility at the highest level of the sport and a proven commitment to growing the game at the grassroots. That balance is exactly what this moment requires.

“As we look to fully leverage the power of the US Open as a platform for inspiration and growth, Craig’s leadership and understanding of the entire tennis ecosystem will be invaluable.

“We are excited to build on our current momentum of six consecutive years of participation growth, and we are confident he is the right leader to guide American tennis into its next chapter.”

It was reported during the 2026 Australian Open last month, and also earlier this month, that Tiley would be leaving his role at Tennis Australia to join the USTA.

During an interview with We Are Tennis, Tiley was asked about the reports and stated: “I will say it’s not new, this conversation. It’s happened before. It happened in the previous role.

“There has been a lot of speculation about it, and I just made a conscious decision to not fuel it, not make comment on it or fuel it.

“We have just finished, as you mentioned at the beginning, arguably the most successful lead-in to the event. I still look at that as just touching the surface, and the two weeks of the AO was driven by the performance of the players and the fun of the fans, and I want to completely focus on that.”

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Emma Raducanu is one of the most famous tennis players in the world, and her commercial viability shows no signs of slowing down.

The Brit’s long-expected move to UNIQLO was made official on Tuesday after weeks of speculation, and she has become the latest in a not-insignificant group of players to have left Nike in recent years.

Here, in a non-exclusive list, we look at 11 high-profile stars across both the WTA and ATP Tours who have parted ways with Nike as their clothing sponsor.

Which tennis players have left Nike?

Emma Raducanu
One of the highest-profile players of her generation, Raducanu burst into prominence during 2021, when she reached round four of Wimbledon before her historic run to the US Open title.

The Brit has been sponsored by Nike since she was a teenager and first turned professional in 2018, and has been one of the brand’s most famous stars until now.

However, she is now the latest in a long line of players to leave the brand, and will debut her new UNIQLO sponsorship in Indian Wells next week.

Roger Federer
One of the most famous tennis players of all time and a true great of the sport, Federer was Nike’s poster boy within and outside of the sport for several years.

However, the decades-long partnership between Federer and Nike ended in 2018, with the Swiss joining UNIQLO in a deal reportedly worth around $300m.

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Federer retired from the sport in 2022, though remains a UNIQLO brand ambassador.

Iga Swiatek
Now arguably the most successful female player of her era, Swiatek was also a hugely promising junior — and was sponsored by Nike during her run to the junior Wimbledon title in 2018.

However, Nike and Swiatek parted ways in 2020, not long before the Pole won the first of her six Grand Slam titles at the 2020 French Open.

The former world No 1 initially joined Asics after her split from Nike, but is now sponsored by On.

Jack Draper
One of the more recent stars to move away from Nike, world No 15 and reigning Indian Wells champion Draper was representing the brand as recently as Wimbledon last summer.

However, with his Nike contract set to expire, the Brit made the switch to Vuori, a move that was made official in August 2025.

Coco Gauff
Gauff was long-recognised as a prodigy of the sport, and was handed a Nike sponsorship when she was just 10 years old.

The American was still a Nike-sponsored athlete when she won the junior French Open title in 2018, though she made the move to New Balance later that year.

Gauff has remained with New Balance ever since then, choosing to extend her contract with the company back in 2022.

Frances Tiafoe
After beginning his career with Adidas, US star Tiafoe switched to Nike in 2017 when he was still a teenager.

The world No 28 continued representing the brand as he became one of the most recognisable stars of his generation, though he made the switch to Lululemon at the start of 2025.

Tiafoe is now a global ambassador for Lululemon and arguably the highest-profile player wearing their kits in tennis.

Elena Rybakina
Now a two-time Grand Slam singles champion, Rybakina was a Nike player when she first started competing regularly on the WTA Tour in 2019.

However, by the start of her breakout 2020 season, the Kazakh had left the brand and had started representing Adidas.

The reigning Australian Open champion is now sponsored by Yonex, and is arguably the brand’s highest-profile star in the sport.

Taylor Fritz
The leading US male player of his era, Fritz was another star who wore Nike during an impressive junior career, and also repped the brand during his breakout onto the main tour in the early 2020s.

However, the former US Open finalist made the switch to Hugo Boss in 2024, and has not looked back — becoming the brand’s most significant face in tennis.

Maria Sakkari
The greatest Greek female tennis player of all time, former world No 3 Sakkari was sponsored by Nike when she first started to make a name for herself in the late 2010s.

However, Sakkari switched to Adidas in 2020 and has represented the brand during the most successful spell of her career.

Felix Auger-Aliassime
A promising junior who quickly rose up the rankings as a young ATP star, Auger-Aliassime was a Nike athlete when he first started making waves in the sport.

However, the world No 8 left Nike to join Adidas in 2021, signing a multi-year deal with the company.

Elina Svitolina
A former world No 3 and the 2018 WTA Finals champion, Svitolina is Ukraine’s greatest-ever WTA player and has been a leading player in the women’s game for almost a decade.

Svitolina spent the bulk of her career sponsored by Nike, and was still represented by the brand up until she went on maternity leave in 2022.

When she returned to court in 2023, she had become an Adidas athlete and has now returned to the top 10 of the WTA Rankings.

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Former world No 3 Ivan Ljubicic has revealed which of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic was the “most difficult” opponent for him as he addressed the GOAT debate.

During an illustrious career spanning from 1998 to 2012, Ljubicic regularly crossed paths with Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, who are known as the Big Three.

The Croatian played Federer on 13 occasions, while he faced Nadal and Djokovic nine times each, and he earned multiple wins against each of the legendary trio.

Ljubicic coached Federer from 2016 until his retirement in 2022, helping the Swiss icon win the last three of his 20 Grand Slam titles.

Ljubicic’s record against the Big Three

• 3-13 vs Federer
• 2-7 vs Nadal
• 2-7 vs Djokovic

What did Ljubicic say about playing the Big Three?

Speaking to the Off Court With Greg Rusedski podcast, Ljubicic broke down his experiences of playing each of the Big Three when asked who reached the highest level at their peak.

“I think for everybody, it’s different. Because they were so different, each one of the opponents had our preference,” Ljubicic began.

Ljubicic on Nadal:

“I felt against Rafa, you have time. He stays far back on the return, so he kind of lets you do your thing, especially on my service games. So I felt rather comfortable.

“Obviously, I lost a lot more times than I won, but I did beat him twice. I always felt like if I played well, I’m going to have a shot, I’m going to have my chances. And also he doesn’t serve big, so you’re always in the rallies. And of course it’s really difficult, but I never felt like it’s impossible.”

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Ljubicic on Federer:

“Against Roger, was complicated, because he would always do something different. I remember I played him like four times in three months in the beginning of 2005. It was always a different match. I thought after losing to him, ‘Okay, now I know what I need to do’.

“I remember, Rotterdam was a big battle, 7-6 in the third for him, I had my chances. Dubai, he was serving [and] volleying more than not. And then [Indian Wells], he was going back and looping sometimes.

“So it was always different match. So you had to adapt to him and he was always better in what he was doing than you. So in that sense, it was really, really difficult for me to play against him.”

Ljubicic on Djokovic:

“Novak, last time I played him was, I believe, 2010. When Novak was on, it was maybe the most difficult for me, because me having a big serve and relying [on] a lot of free points with my serve… I mean with him, it was just not possible.

“It was not just that I was not getting free points, but it was coming faster at me than my serve. So it was just… you would feel like you get strangled, because he doesn’t hit winners, but he pushed you left, right, left, right, you’re always on the run.

“You never have a clean shot. You don’t even find yourself in the situation where you can take a risk. So that was really suffocating.”

Ljubicic on the GOAT debate

Ljubicic also weighed in on the debate over which of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic is the greatest player of all time.

“They are different. It’s really difficult to say who is better,” said the 10-time ATP Tour titlist.

“Obviously Novak won the most, it’s clear. But for me, the impact that Roger had on the game, and Rafa, in different moments — it’s huge. Maybe bigger than Novak.

“But… what is the GOAT? If we go by the results, obviously Novak is the one who won the most. But the impact on the game I feel like Roger definitely had, at least for me, was tremendous and still is.”

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Stefanos Tsitsipas is set to fall to his lowest ATP ranking in almost eight years after tasting defeat in the opening round of his Dubai Championships title defence.

Tsitsipas defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime to lift the title for the first time in 2025, though he was handed a nightmare opening-round draw this year against Ugo Humbert — the man who lifted the title in 2024.

Only seven places currently separate world No 30 Tsitsipas and world No 37 Humbert in the ATP Rankings, though it was the Frenchman who had the upper hand in this contest.

Having won three of his four previous contests against the Greek, Humbert — looking to surge back up the ATP Rankings after an injury-disrupted 2025 — broke at the end of both sets to seal a 6-4, 7-5 triumph at the ATP 500 event.

“I think it was a big battle on the serve, we served very well from the beginning to the end,” said Humbert, speaking to Tennis TV.

“I was a bit lucky in the last game [in set two] at 5-4, he did two double faults, but yeah, I had the opportunity, I took it.

“I’m happy about this first win because Stef is a big player. We know he can play and reach the top level, so it’s a good victory for me.”

Victory for Humbert means he is provisionally up three places in the ATP Live Rankings to 34th, ahead of the rest of his campaign.

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However, defeat represents a significant blow for Tsitsipas, who is now set for a significant drop down the ATP Rankings.

The Greek is a former world No 3 at the peak of his powers, though he struggled to maintain his top-10 status towards the end of 2024 and the opening months of 2025, with a back injury significantly affecting his form.

Tsitsipas ultimately finished 2025 ranked 34th in the world, his lowest year-end ranking since he finished 2017 as the world No 91.

However, with 450 ranking points now set to drop off his ATP Ranking following an early defeat in his Dubai title defence, the Greek is now set to fall outside of the top 40.

Currently back up to 30th in the world following a consistent start to 2026, Tsitsipas is provisionally projected to fall 12 places to world No 42 in the ATP Live Rankings.

Though his official ranking next week is still yet to be determined by results across Dubai and other ATP events in Acapulco and Santiago, the 27-year-old is guaranteed to be outside of the top 40 next Monday.

That will mean that the Greek falls to his lowest ranking since May 14, 2018, when he was a 19-year-old ranked 43rd in the world.

Tsitsipas moved up to world No 40 the week after that, and he has remained inside the top 40 of the ATP Rankings after that point until now.

An opening-round match against Humbert, himself a former world No 12 at his peak, was undoubtedly a difficult draw for Tsitsipas as he continues his comeback, and he will have several opportunities later in the season to surge back into form.

However, the Greek now faces the risk of being unseeded at a string of upcoming Masters 1000 events, and potentially even at the French Open in May.

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The debate over whether Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have taken tennis to another level has been raging over the last couple of years and now a player from the era dominated by the ‘Big 3’ has entered the debate.

Alcaraz and Sinner have won the last nine Grand Slam titles between them, ending the era of dominance that was led by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and concluded by Novak Djokovic.

The levels Alcaraz and Sinner have produced as they have started their own era have inspired some experienced tennis observers like former Grand Slam champions John McEnroe and Mats Wilander to claim they are playing better tennis than Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, even though that trio served up as they won 66 Grand Slam titles between them.

Former world No 3 Ivan Ljubicic is perfectly placed to offer a verdict on this debate, as he played against Federer, Nadal and Djokovic on numerous occasions and beat all three during his career.

He also coached Federer to a series of Grand Slam titles and was credited with improving the Swiss star’s backhand as he roared back to Grand Slam-winning form, as he came back from injury at the start of 2017.

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So when he reflects on whether Alcaraz and Sinner are a step ahead of the three greats who won more Grand Slam titles than anyone in tennis history, he offers some perspective.

“I tell what’s better. mean, you know, do we talk about the speed of the ball? Yes, they’re hitting harder, you know,” he began.

“I often look at the videos and the matches in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 and the guys were not missing. They were so accurate,” he said on the Off Court with Greg Rusedski podcast, referring to Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.

“They were so precise with shot selection. They were building up points. It was just different. That’s why it’s impossible to compare eras.

“It was different tennis. Now it’s hit hard, stay close, hit hard, stay close. So I cannot classify something better than it was different. So you can compare what you can compare how many matches they played.

“It is definitely more physical now. It’s faster in a way, but depending what you like. I like more tennis, but I think like every older guy, you like your times rather than the modern times.

“But it is fascinating, you know, how far we pushed our sport and how athletic it is. So it’s impossible. It’s literally impossible.

“You know, Roger [Federer] was playing better than [John] McEnroe. Yes, I guess, but you know, what’s better? You know, how do you compare?

“Maybe artificial intelligence one day will be able to come up with a formula that you can actually compare it, our brains, I don’t think, are ready for it.”

Alcaraz and Sinner have a long way to go before they get a chance to challenge the records set by Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, but they are already among the game’s all-time greats at the start of their careers.

The longevity by the ‘Big 3’ at the top of the game is one of their greatest achievements and Alcaraz and Sinner will need to dominate for a decade a more before they can think about challenging their status as the all-time greats of tennis.

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The Indian Wells Open is the third WTA 1000 tournament on the calendar, and all of the top 32 players in the women’s rankings are set to star at this year’s event.

The 2026 Indian Wells Open will be the 37th edition of the WTA Tour event, which is staged at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden — also known as Tennis Paradise — in the Californian desert.

The hard-court tournament is considered one of the most prestigious competitions outside of the four Grand Slams.

Mirra Andreeva is the reigning champion, having defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the 2025 championship match.

When will the tournament take place?

The 2026 Indian Wells Open will be held from 4 to 15 March.

How many players will feature in the main draw?

The Indian Wells women’s singles main draw will be feature 96 players, a total made up of 76 direct entrants, 12 qualifiers and eight wildcards.

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Which players have received wildcards?

Venus Williams, a former world No 1 and seven-time major singles champion, is the only player who has received a wildcard so far.

Have any players withdrawn?

Lois Boisson and Veronika Kudermetova have both withdrawn from Indian Wells.

Which former champions will play?

Five former champions are on the entry list: Andreeva (2025), Iga Swiatek (2022 and 2024), Elena Rybakina (2023), Paula Badosa (2021) and Naomi Osaka (2019).

Have any players used a special/protected ranking to enter?

Players who have been unable to compete in any tournaments due to injury or pregnancy for a minimum of six months are eligible to use the WTA protected ranking system.

The rule allows players to use the ranking they held at the time of their absence to enter eight tournaments, or 12 if they missed more than a year.

Wang Yafan, who is ranked 356th and last played in October, has used a special ranking to enter.

Indian Wells 2026 WTA Singles Entry List and Projected Seeds (24 February)

1. Aryna Sabalenka
2. Iga Swiatek
3. Elena Rybakina
4. Coco Gauff
5. Jessica Pegula
6. Amanda Anisimova
7. Jasmine Paolini
8. Mirra Andreeva
9. Elina Svitolina
10. Victoria Mboko
11. Ekaterina Alexandrova
12. Belinda Bencic
13. Karolina Muchova
14. Linda Noskova
15. Madison Keys
16. Naomi Osaka
17. Clara Tauson
18. Iva Jovic
19. Liudmila Samsonova
20. Emma Navarro
21. Diana Shnaider
22. Elise Mertens
23. Anna Kalinskaya
24. Zheng Qinwen
25. Emma Raducanu
26. Jelena Ostapenko
27. Leylah Fernandez
28. Marta Kostyuk
29. Maya Joint
30. Wang Xinyu
31. Alex Eala
32. Maria Sakkari
Jaqueline Cristian
Marie Bouzkova
Sorana Cirstea
Janice Tjen
Sara Bejlek
Ann Li
McCartney Kessler
Elisabetta Cocciaretto
Hailey Baptiste
Katerina Siniakova
Sofia Kenin Rebecca Sramkova
Marketa Vondrousova
Tereza Valentova
Magda Linette
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
Dayana Yastremska
Barbora Krejcikova
Antonia Ruzic
Sonay Kartal
Laura Siegemund
Tatjana Maria
Varvara Gracheva
Magdalena Frech
Daria Kasatkina
Emiliana Arango
Polina Kudermetova
Elsa Jacquemot
Peyton Stearns
Cristina Bucsa
Solana Sierra
Anna Bondar
Beatriz Haddad Maia
Caty McNally
Eva Lys
Petra Marcinko
Elena-Gabriela Ruse
Francesca Jones
Ajla Tomljanovic
Oksana Selekhmeteva
Yulia Putintseva
Zeynep Sonmez
Anna Blinkova
Paula Badosa
Anastasia Potapova
Wang Yafan (SR)
Venus Williams (WC)

Further wildcards and qualifiers TBC

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The post WTA Indian Wells 2026 Entry List: Sabalenka, Swiatek, Rybakina, Gauff star; will Eala be seeded? appeared first on Tennis365.

Emma Raducanu has confirmed her commercial appeal is still strong despite her lack of success on the court in recent years, with former British No 1 Greg Rusedski suggesting her mega new deal with Uniqlo makes sense for both parties.

The British No 1 has been wearing Nike clothing since she broke onto the tennis scene with a run to the last-16 at Wimbledon in 2018, with his incredible win at the US Open a few weeks later propelling her towards instant global superstardom.

Now her time with Nike as come to an end, with the Uniqlo deal that is believed to be worth several million dollars set to be launched with her appearance at the WTA 1000 event at Indian Wells next month.

Raducanu said in the statement: “I am very pleased to join UNIQLO and to work closely with its amazing team of Global Brand Ambassadors. UNIQLO and I share many values and perspectives on life, culture, and society.

“I am excited to promote LifeWear through my tennis career, and to working with everybody at UNIQLO to inspire and engage young people everywhere.”

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Some of Radcuanu’s critics will question how she is still attracting big money sponsors despite failing to land a title since that US Open win, but former British No 1 Greg Rusedski has offered up a much more positive view.

Speaking on the latest edition of his Off Court Cuts podcast, Rusedski outlined why he believes Raducanu’s deal with Uniqlo makes commercial sense for the Japanese company.

“The deal probably makes a lot of sense for them because they look for brand ambassadors and they look for Instagram followers, they look to TikTok to all those things in social media,” said Rusedski.

“She has a following, you know, in the UK, she has a following international, she has the Chinese market, she has multiple marketplaces there. So for a Japanese company, it probably makes a lot of sense.

“So I think the deal is not only on court, but it will be off court as well. So that makes sense. And your contracts are not always based on your tennis ranking. They’re also based on your followers, so they’re looking at it as a business point of view. They’re taking a punt that they’re hoping she gets back in the top 10, can start competing for slams again and win one, that would be the ultimate.

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“They’re also looking off court and does she generate enough press publicity and will we get a return on investment? They have done their numbers and it’s a very, very successful company. So I think it’s a great partnership.

“I think it’s going to go really well. And for me, fingers crossed, Emma needs to get healthy and get the tennis together. And I think it’s worth the punt even paying her that much money to go with UniGlo. So I think it’s a good deal. And let’s keep fingers crossed that Emma can get some great performances.”

Raducanu has confirmed she is currently looking for a new coach after her split with Francisco Roig after the Australian Open last month and she faces a big test in March, with the points she gained from her impressive run to the Miami Open last year coming off her ranking when he returns to Florida at the end of March.

READ NEXT: Emma Raducanu gets candid advice as she is told to copy Roger Federer coaching move

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Indian Wells is one of the biggest tournaments on the ATP Tour calendar, and all eyes will be on who can triumph in Tennis Paradise in 2026.

Jack Draper defeated Holger Rune in a surprise final to lift his first Masters 1000 title twelve months ago, and the Brit is set to be part of an incredibly strong field in 2026.

We take you through all you need to know about this year’s men’s singles event, from the biggest names in action to the prize money and ranking points on offer.

Who is in action?

So far, only 2025 runner-up Rune and Jaume Munar have withdrawn from the initial entry list released earlier this year.

That means that the tournament is still set to be headlined by world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz, world No 2 Jannik Sinner, and world No 3 Novak Djokovic.

Two-time champion Alcaraz will hope to regain his title following a semi-final loss last year, while Sinner will return after missing last year’s event due to his three-month suspension.

Djokovic, who has not played since reaching the Australian Open final, holds a joint-record five titles in Indian Wells, though he was stunned in the second round twelve months ago.

Alexander Zverev is also set to be a top-four seed at the tournament, with the German looking to win the title for the first time.

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Defending champion Draper returns as he looks to regain his title and continue his return from injury, while 2022 champion Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton lead a strong American contingent in the desert.

Thirty-two players will be seeded in the 96-player draw and receive an opening-round bye, with those seeds set to be confirmed following next week’s ATP Rankings update.

What prize money is on offer?

Controversially, the prize money on offer in Indian Wells is actually slightly down from 2025, though significant winnings are still on offer.

This year’s men’s singles champion is still set to receive $1,151,380, though that is down on the $1,201,125 awarded to Draper twelve months ago.

The runner-up will take home $612,340 in prize money, with $340,190 awarded to the two beaten semi-finalists, and $193,645 awarded to the four quarter-finalists.

Players who reach the fourth round will take home $105,720, with players in round three earning $61,865 in winnings.

A total of $36,110 is on offer in round two, with prize money of $24,335 available in the opening round.

Champion: $1,151,380
Runner-up: $612,340
Semi-finalists: $340,190
Quarter-finalists: $193,645
Round 4: $105,720
Round 3: $61,865
Round 2: $36,110
Round 1: $24,335

What ranking points are on offer?

Significant ranking points are on offer at the Masters event, with 1,000 points on offer to this year’s men’s singles champion.

The eventual runner-up will also earn a not-insignificant 650 ranking points, with 400 ranking points on offer for both semi-finalists, and 200 ranking points on offer for the four beaten quarter-finalists.

A total of 100 ranking points will be on offer in round four, with 50 ranking points on offer in round three, 25 ranking points in round two, and just 10 ranking points in round one.

However, seeded players who begin their campaigns in round two will hold 10 ranking points and will take home that total of points should they lose in the second round.

Key dates

Main draw action in Indian Wells will take place from March 4-15, with the men’s singles qualifying event taking place from March 2-3.

The opening round of men’s singles action will be held on Wednesday, March 4, and Thursday, March 5, subject to weather conditions.

Round two action will then take place across Friday, March 6, and Saturday, March 7, with the top 32 seeds beginning their campaigns across these two days.

Rounds three and four will then also be spread across the ensuing two-day periods, before all four men’s singles quarter-finals take place on Thursday, March 12.

There will then be a day of rest for the four remaining players, before the semi-finals are held on Saturday, March 14, and then the final takes place on Sunday, March 15.

The draw for the men’s singles event will likely take place on Monday or Tuesday before the main draw starts, after the seeds have been confirmed.

Champion: 1,000 points
Runner-up: 650 points
Semi-finalists: 400 points
Quarter-finalists: 200 points
Round 4: 100 points
Round 3: 50 points
Round 2: 25 points (10 points for seeded players)
Round 1: 10 points

Entry List (as of February 24, 2026)

Carlos Alcaraz
Jannik Sinner
Novak Djokovic
Alexander Zverev
Lorenzo Musetti
Alex de Minaur
Taylor Fritz
Felix Auger-Aliassime
Ben Shelton
Alexander Bublik
Daniil Medvedev
Casper Ruud
Jack Draper
Andrey Rublev
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Jakub Mensik
Karen Khachanov
Francisco Cerundolo
Flavio Cobolli
Jiri Lehecka
Tommy Paul
Luciano Darderi
Learner Tien
Denis Shapovalov
Cameron Norrie
Valentin Vacherot
Tomas Machac
Tallon Griekspoor
Frances Tiafoe
Arthur Rinderknech
Brandon Nakashima
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Joao Fonseca
Sebastian Baez
Corentin Moutet
Ugo Humbert
Gabriel Diallo
Zizou Bergs
Alex Michelsen
Arthur Fils
Grigor Dimitrov
Daniel Altmaier
Nuno Borges
Fabian Marozsan
Jenson Brooksby
Camilo Ugo Carabelli
Alexandre Muller
Marton Fucsovics
Alexei Popyrin
Hubert Hurkacz
Sebastian Korda
Tomas Martin Etcheverry
Kamil Majchrzak
Valentin Royer
(PR) Jerry Shang
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Matteo Berrettini
Marcos Giron
Lorenzo Sonego
Marin Cilic
Damir Dzumhur
Reilly Opelka
Francisco Comesana
Matteo Arnaldi
Terence Atmane
Botic van de Zandschulp
Ethan Quinn
Miomir Kecmanovic
Adrian Mannarino
Eliot Spizzirri
Raphael Collignon
Alejandro Tabilo
Mattia Bellucci
Mariano Navone
Arthur Cazaux
Pedro Martinez
Filip Misolic
Hamad Medjedovic
Quetin Halys
Further wildcards and qualifiers tbc

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