Jannik Sinner will likely be encouraged by what he has heard about the courts at Indian Wells this year as he looks to return to form.
Sinner has made a relatively poor start to the 2026 season, highlighted by his most recent loss to Jakub Mensik at the Qatar Open.
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The world number two will be looking to turn things around as he returns to California, with Sinner having never reached the Indian Wells final before.
In previous years, the slower courts at Indian Wells have divided opinion, but a development ahead of this year’s tournament could benefit Sinner.
Jannik Sinner could benefit from a change in the Indian Wells courts
Although the main draw at Indian Wells is yet to get underway, qualifying has been taking place on the same courts.
Last year, Indian Wells changed the manufacturer of its hard courts to Laykold, which brought an end to its 25-year partnership with Plexipave.
The Miami Open also used Laykold, which tends to provide a quicker court than Plexipave did.
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This has been on full display already at Indian Wells this year, displayed by a statistic from the qualifying in the men’s singles draw.
Despite the surface change last year, there were actually seven fewer aces in qualifying last year than 2024.
However, there is a notable change already in 2026, with there already being 240 aces after just the first round of qualifying.
There have only been 24 matches in men’s qualifying so far this year, but there have already been a huge 335 aces, which averages at just under 14 a match.
| Year | Number of aces in Indian Wells Qualifying (ATP) |
| 2024 | 272 (36 matches) |
| 2025 | 265 (36 matches) |
| 2026 | 335 (24 matches) |
This has to be more than just a coincidence, and suggests that the courts at Indian Wells are significantly quicker than in previous years.
Sinner has twice reached the semifinals at Indian Wells before, but he will no doubt be licking his lips at this prospect as someone who prefers the faster courts.
While Carlos Alcaraz will still likely be the favorite to win the Indian Wells title, he would probably have preferred the slower courts that are more comparable to clay as it gave him a competitive advantage over his rivals and had enabled him to win two titles in California before.
Jannik Sinner should be encouraged by his Indian Wells draw
The court speeds are not the only boost for Sinner, who missed Indian Wells last year after being banned from tennis for three months.
As Sinner returns to Indian Wells for the first time since 2024, he has been handed a draw which he should be fairly comfortable with.
Prior to the quarterfinals, there is only one player who has a winning head-to-head against Sinner, which is Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Tsitsipas won their most recent meeting at the 2024 Monte Carlo Masters, but the Greek is currently at his lowest ranking since 2018 after losing in the first round of the Dubai Tennis Championships last week.
If Sinner does reach the quarterfinals as expected, then he could have a rematch against Mensik, but Ben Shelton is also a potential opponent at this stage of the tournament.
In his two previous runs to the semifinals in Indian Wells, Sinner has been beaten by Alcaraz, but the world number one will only be an opponent for him this year if he reaches the final.
The main draw of Indian Wells gets underway on Wednesday, March 4, but Sinner will not begin his campaign until at least Friday.
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