Medvedev Teams with Tien in Star-Packed Indian Wells Doubles
Under the desert sun, singles rivals like Daniil Medvedev and Learner Tien link up for the BNP Paribas Open, blending budding tensions with tactical surprises in a doubles field loaded with top talent.
The BNP Paribas Open always turns Indian Wells into a pressure cooker, but this year’s doubles draw ignites with singles stars jumping in, ready to test new alliances on the hard courts. Daniil Medvedev pairs with Learner Tien, a matchup that flips their on-court rivalry into partnership amid the Coachella Valley’s rising heat. As March approaches, these teams promise shifts from baseline grinds to net rushes, where every poach carries the weight of dual careers.
Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev bring Russian power, their flat groundstrokes set to dominate returns in the ATP Masters 1000 event. Felix Auger-Aliassime links with Sebastian Korda, merging athletic reaches with precise angles for crosscourt exchanges. Alex de Minaur teams up with John Peers, the speedster’s quick feet complementing the veteran’s volleys against a field buzzing with energy.
“I think his coach texted my coach last minute, maybe the day before the deadline. I said, ‘Sure’, I thought it would be fun and so I’m looking forward to it,” Tien said. “It was kind of random, because I don’t think he plays that much doubles and neither do I, so I think we’ll just go out and have fun.”
Rivals sync for desert volleys
Medvedev and Tien’s duo catches the eye, especially with their budding ATP Head2Head rivalry—Tien leads 3-1. The American shared details on this spontaneous team during a session at the Delray Beach Open, highlighting how last-minute texts sparked their entry. On Indian Wells’ medium-paced surface, Medvedev’s flat returns could feed Tien’s inside-out forehands, creating one–two patterns that pressure second serves, though their sparse doubles play adds raw edges to the mix.
The mental pivot hits hard here: singles players like these must dial back solo instincts for timed poaches, especially as points stretch under the stadium lights. Their limited experience means quick adjustments to lobs and overheads, turning potential clashes into synchronized threats. As the crowd leans in, this pairing could spark upsets, blending rivalry’s fire with fun’s unpredictability.
Alternates push for wildcard breakthroughs
Six of the Top 10 players in the PIF ATP Rankings have entered the doubles field, underscoring the event’s pull despite entry hurdles. World No. 2 Jannik Sinner and Reilly Opelka sit as alternates, their combined ranking of 71 missing the direct cut, so they await a wild card. Sinner’s 26-25 tour-level doubles record includes a 2021 Atlanta title with Opelka, where his baseline punch adapted to serve-volley rushes on faster courts.
Alexander Zverev and Marcelo Melo also alternate, building on their 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 final with familiar net play. Ben Shelton and Emilio Nava round out the list, the Americans’ big serves ready to curve wide if they break in. This wildcard chase amps the pre-draw tension, forcing stars to balance singles focus with doubles’ split-second trust amid the season’s grind.
Veterans anchor the hard-court clash
Established pairs bring proven depth to counter the singles surge. Australian Open champions Christian Harrison and Neal Skupski enter with honed volleys, perfect for gusty winds across the outer courts. Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos add lefty-righty flair, pinning foes deep with crosscourt topspin.
Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool inject British resilience, using underspin slices to disrupt rhythms on the center court. Defending champions Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic return strong, their down-the-line poaches setting a tactical tone against the newcomers’ power. As these lineups converge in 2026, Indian Wells shapes up as a proving ground where experience meets energy, promising momentum swings and revelations under the palm trees.
