The 2026 BNP Paribas Open is in the books and there was doubles success for Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova. The American-Czechia pair beat Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic 7-6, 6-4 in the final to secure their fourth title as a duo, adding to their Wimbledon and Australian Open crowns at Grand Slam-level and their WTA 1000 title in Dubai.
Both put in incredible work in singles, with Townsend coming through two rounds of qualifying after a quick turnaround in Austin where she reached the singles final and won the doubles title at the WTA 250. In the main draw, the 29-year-old American saw off Marie Bouzkova in the first round before succumbing to 28th seed Marta Kostyuk in round two.
Siniakova reached the round of 16 but was forced to retire against ninth seed Elina Svitolna after nine games. Siniakova registered impressive three-set wins against defending champion and eighth seed Mirra Andreeva and 27th seed Leylah Fernandez en route.
Elsewhere in Indian Wells, debutant Victoria Mboko made a run to the quarter-finals where she fell to world No 1 and eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka. The Belarusian now leads their head-to-head 2-0 following her victory at the Australian Open earlier this year. Sabalenka won 6-1, 7-6 in Melbourne but it was a tighter 7-6, 6-4 contest in California which was testament to the teenager’s continued rapid development.
The 19-year-old Canadian did not drop a set in the desert until her meeting with Sabalenka in the last eight. Mboko handily saw off world No 6 Amanda Anisimova 6-4, 6-1 in the round of 16 and 23rd seed Anna Kalinkaya in round two by the same scoreline. She is now up to a career-high No 9 in the world rankings.
Coco Gauff was forced to retire from her third-round match against Alexandra Eala. The world No 4, who was trailing 6-2, 2-0, was struggling with a left arm injury which she eventually had taped up. The retirement against Eala was only the second time Gauff retired from a match in her professional career – her first retirement came against Bouzkova in Cincinnati in 2022.
In the men’s draw, Arthur Fils continued his superb comeback after his long injury layoff with another deep run. Playing in only his fourth event after nine months away with a stress fracture in his back, Fils made it to the quarter-finals in Indian Wells for the second year in a row. Fils has reached the quarter-finals or better in three of the four events he has played since his return. The 21-year-old Frenchman was beaten by fourth seed Alexander Zverev after seeing off in-form top-tenner Félix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets in the round of 16.
Zverev denied us a Fils-Frances Tiafoe meeting after the German got the better of the American in the round of 16. Tiafoe got his lick back against Flavio Cobolli in the third round following his defeat to the Italian in the Acapulco final last month. Big Foe, now back at 20 in the world rankings, also had too much for fellow American Jenson Brooksby in his opening match.
Attention now turns to Miami where Townsend, Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens and Moïses Kouame are among the wildcards. Venus, searching for her first singles win of the season, opens against Great Britain’s Fran Jones, while Stephens starts against fellow American wildcard Jennifer Brady. Kouame, who has been doing the hard yards at Challenger level following his ATP Tour debut in Montpellier, has been drawn against a qualifier or lucky loser in the first round.
The women’s main draw gets under way on Tuesday and the men start on Wednesday. Seeds in both draws all receive first-round byes so begin their campaigns in the second round.
Women
(4)Coco Gauff vs Elisbetta Cocciaretto or qualifier/lucky
(7)Jasmine Paolini vs Taylor Townsend vs qualifier/lucky loser
(10)Victoria Mboko vs Sofia Kenin or Anna Blinkova
(15)Madison Keys vs Antonia Ruzic or Elena-Gabriela Ruse
(16)Naomi Osaka vs Sascha Bejlek or qualifier/lucky loser
Hailey Baptiste vs Tatjana Maria
Alycia Parks vs qualifier/lucky loser
Taylor Townsend vs qualifier/lucky loser
Venus Williams vs Fran Jones
Sloane Stephens vs Jennifer Brady
Men
(7)Félix Auger-Aliassime vs Marton Fucsovics or qualifier/lucky loser
(8)Ben Shelton vs Matteo Arnaldi or Alexander Shevchenko
(19)Frances Tiafoe vs Arthur Cazaux or qualifier/lucky loser
(28)Arthur Fils vs Darwin Blanch or Jan-Lennard Struff
Gabriel Diallo vs Wu Yibing
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard vs Camilo Ugo Carabelli
Moïses Kouame vs qualifier/lucky loser
Words by Eugene