The Sunshine Double moves into its second act at the Hard Rock Stadium, where the Miami Open’s quicker courts, louder crowds and higher humidity shape a very different test from Indian Wells. After Indian Wells, the Top 2 narrative has shifted. Two weeks ago Carlos Alcaraz began 2026 without a loss, while Jannik Sinner arrived with a couple of semifinal finishes. Sinner’s title in Indian Wells, his first of 2026, changed the tenor of the season: he did not drop a set and closed out the final with a furious run of points.

Both players have won Miami once — Alcaraz in 2022 and Sinner in 2024 — though neither made an impact here last year. Sinner was suspended and Alcaraz fell to David Goffin in the second round. The slightly faster surface in Miami should suit Sinner; he has been to three finals at this event.

Neither must face Novak Djokovic, who is not playing, and their routes to the later rounds look broadly manageable with one early wrinkle. Alcaraz could open with Joao Fonseca, a matchup fans have anticipated given both players’ power off the forehand. Fonseca, who pushed Sinner to two tiebreaks in Indian Wells, must first get past Fabian Marozsan. Alcaraz’s projected path could include Seb Korda, Karen Khachanov and then Taylor Fritz, Jack Draper or Casper Ruud in the quarters.

Sinner’s section offers fewer obvious landmines. Early tests might be Damir Dzumhur in round two, Corentin Moutet in round three, Cam Norrie or Andrey Rublev in round four, and then Jakub Mensik, Frances Tiafoe or Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarters. Indian Wells runner-up Daniil Medvedev, a de facto third seed, sits in Sinner’s half and represents a genuine title threat when he finds rhythm on hard courts.

Players to watch and projected early showdowns include Jack Draper, Jakub Mensik and Ben Shelton, plus returning contenders such as Taylor Fritz and Arthur Fils. Notable early matchups:

Alcaraz vs. Fonseca, second round: The first of hopefully many between two of the most lethal forehands in the game

Tommy Paul vs. Flavio Cobolli, third round: Two loose athletes with major forehands of their own. This feels like night-session fodder

Alexander Bublik vs. Matteo Berrettini, second round

Fils vs. Alex De Minaur, third round

Medvedev vs. Francisco Cerundolo, third round

Tiafoe vs. Mensik, third round

Nick Kyrgios has accepted a wild card to the BOSS Open in Stuttgart, signalling a planned return to grass-court competition. The former Wimbledon finalist, who has seen limited singles action to begin 2026, praised the tournament venue ahead of the event. “The Weissenhof is a fantastic venue with excellent grass courts,” Kyrgios said in a press release. “I’ve always enjoyed my time there—the fans and atmosphere are very special. I’m really looking forward to coming back.”

Kyrgios has played just one singles match so far in 2026, a first-round loss at the Brisbane International. That outing forms part of a very limited schedule: he has featured in only seven singles matches since 2023. Knee and wrist injuries have curtailed his play, and both issues required surgery.

Though his singles appearances have been sparse, Kyrgios did compete at the Australian Open in men’s and mixed doubles. He advanced a round in mixed doubles alongside partner Leylah Fernandez.

Earlier in the season Kyrgios indicated that 2026 could be his final year on tour, but he also committed to returning for the 2027 Australian Open. He later surprised followers on social media by announcing plans to compete “the grass & UTS events” on social media.

The BOSS Open wild card offers Kyrgios an opportunity to test his fitness on grass after a disrupted run of matches and procedures. With a limited match count over recent seasons, the grass swing represents a chance to rebuild competitive momentum before the summer events. His acceptance of the invitation confirms his intention to add grass-court competition to a season that has otherwise been defined by recovery and selective entries.

Tournament organisers confirmed his entry via the wild card, and Kyrgios’s comments emphasised his appreciation for the venue and supporters as he prepares to return to match play on grass.

Jannik Sinner closed out a breakthrough fortnight at Indian Wells by not only claiming his first Masters 1000 title on hard court but also completing a career set of Masters 1000 hard-court trophies. He is the youngest man ever to achieve that particular collection of titles.

There was additional reward beyond the trophy. The 24-year-old Italian entered Indian Wells with $57,544,926 in career prize money. With the $1,151,380 winner’s cheque and ATP profit sharing funds that were applied to a number of players during the tournament, Sinner’s reported career total now stands at $60,039,831. He’s one of just eight tennis players ever to hit that number.

Sinner is the second player born in the 2000s to clear the $60 million mark, following Carlos Alcaraz, who is listed at $64,274,163.

Other players also moved past major career-money thresholds after Indian Wells and the profit sharing adjustments. Alexander Zverev rose from $59,390,927 to $60,969,344; his semifinal run at Indian Wells contributed $340,190 to that increase. Daniil Medvedev cracked the $50 million barrier, moving from $49,938,657 to $51,150,419 after earning $612,340 as the tournament finalist.

Taylor Fritz also reached a new milestone, advancing from $29,839,634 to $30,319,179. That total places him among an exclusive group of just six American tennis players ever to cross the $30 million mark after the Williams sisters, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Coco Gauff.

The financial updates underscore how significant results at a single high-level event and the distribution of ATP profit sharing can be to a player’s career totals. For Sinner, the Indian Wells title provided both a landmark victory and a new monetary milestone.