The question every tennis fan asks of elite players is whether they can perform when it matters most. Jannik Sinner provided the definitive answer at Indian Wells, producing seven consecutive points from 4-0 down in the second-set tiebreak to beat Daniil Medvedev 7-6(6), 7-6(4) and claim the title.
There is no more pressurised situation in tennis than trailing in a tiebreak in the second set of a major final, with the opponent in full flow. Sinner’s response in that moment was the mark of a true champion — calm, focused, and relentlessly precise.
Medvedev had been excellent throughout the tournament, recovering from travel difficulties to produce some of his best tennis in months. His semi-final win over Sinner at a previous event had given him the belief that he could defeat the world number one again, and for stretches of the final, he came close.
The Indian Wells title fills the last gap in Sinner’s hard-court collection. He can now claim to be the undisputed master of the surface, having won the Australian Open, US Open, ATP Finals, and all six Masters 1000 events. At 24, that collection is extraordinary.
Sabalenka’s 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) victory over Rybakina was defined by a similar mindset. A set and a break down, facing a fifth consecutive final defeat against her great rival, she refused to yield and produced a stunning comeback. Saving a match point in the tiebreak was the moment that crystallised her resilience.