INDIAN WELLS, CA — The tennis world is accustomed to seeing Jannik Sinner dominate headlines for his blistering forehand and meteoric rise to World No. 3. However, a surprising entry in the doubles draw for the upcoming BNP Paribas Open has created a unique and potentially frustrating scenario for the Australian Open champion. Sinner has signed up to play doubles in the California desert, but his chosen partner and the tournament's entry rules mean he could be blocked from competing in the event altogether.
Sinner, alongside his longtime friend and fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego, has entered the doubles competition at Indian Wells. The pairing is not unusual in itself; the two have teamed up sporadically on tour, most recently at the 2023 Paris Masters. The twist lies in their ranking and the tournament's cut-off. As of the entry deadline, the Italian duo sits as the fifth alternates for the 32-team main draw, a precarious position that leaves their participation entirely dependent on other teams withdrawing.
The Alternate Conundrum: A Numbers Game
The mechanics of tournament entry are straightforward but unforgiving. Direct acceptance into the main draw is based solely on the combined doubles ranking of a team. Sinner, who focuses predominantly on singles, has a doubles ranking of World No. 136. Sonego, a more frequent doubles competitor, sits at No. 44. Their combined ranking was not high enough to secure an automatic berth, placing them four spots outside the main draw cutoff.
Being an alternate is a waiting game. For Sinner and Sonego to gain entry, four teams above them in the alternate pecking order must withdraw or not show up for their first-round match. In the high-stakes, physically demanding environment of the "Fifth Grand Slam," last-minute pullouts are not uncommon, but relying on four of them is a significant gamble. The situation highlights the unique challenge for top singles stars who dabble in doubles: without a protected or high ranking in the discipline, they are at the mercy of the entry list.
Why Team Up? The Sinner-Sonego Dynamic
Given the low probability of entry, why would Sinner commit to the doubles draw at all? The reasons are likely a blend of camaraderie, practice, and strategic planning. Sinner and Sonego share a deep bond, having come up through the Italian tennis system together and maintaining a close friendship on tour. For Sinner, playing doubles with a trusted partner offers valuable benefits, even if the match count is limited:
- Match Sharpness: Extra matches on the stadium courts can fine-tune net play and return-of-serve reflexes crucial for singles.
- Court Familiarity: The slow, gritty hard courts of Indian Wells are unique; more time competing on them is an advantage.
- Partnership Continuity: Keeping their team active maintains chemistry for potential future appearances at Masters 1000 events or even the Olympics.
Tennis analyst Gill Gross noted the practical upside on his podcast, Monday Match Analysis: "For a guy like Sinner, who is so focused on the big singles prizes, a round or two of doubles with a friend is low-pressure reps. It's a win-win if they get in, and no real loss if they don't."
Precedents and Possibilities
This is not the first time a marquee singles player has faced an entry block in doubles. In recent years, stars like Carlos Alcaraz, Naomi Osaka, and even the Williams sisters have occasionally found themselves as alternates when entering events with lower-ranked partners or without using protected rankings. The tournament has a mechanism to grant wild cards, but these are typically reserved for teams featuring a local player, a special attraction, or to promote the sport in a specific region.
A wild card for Sinner and Sonego remains a distant possibility, but not an expected one. The tournament director, Tommy Haas, must balance the fan desire to see Sinner play twice as much with the need to reward doubles specialists and other teams who have committed to the tour. As one tournament official, speaking on background, explained: "The doubles draw is a competition in its own right. While we love seeing the singles stars, our priority is fairness to the teams who play doubles week-in, week-out."
The Domino Effect of Withdrawals
The fate of "Sinnego" now rests on a chain reaction in the player lounge. Several factors could trigger the necessary withdrawals:
- Singles Fatigue/Injury: A player coming off a deep singles run may prioritize rest and pull out of doubles.
- Late Scratches: Teams dealing with last-minute niggles from previous tournaments may choose caution.
- Strategic Focus: A singles-focused player may decide to withdraw from doubles to conserve energy after the draw is made.
The first round of the doubles begins several days after the singles, giving alternates a narrow window of hope. Sinner and Sonego will likely need to be on site, practicing together, in case the call comes. It’s an awkward position for a reigning Grand Slam champion, underscoring the separate, and sometimes rigid, hierarchies of the singles and doubles tours.
Broader Implications for the Sport
This minor saga touches on a larger conversation within tennis about the role and visibility of doubles. Purists argue the discipline deserves its own merit-based entry, while others believe star power from top singles players is essential to boost viewership and attendance for doubles matches. The current system, a compromise, allows for both but creates situations like Sinner's—where one of the game's biggest attractions could be a spectator for an event he wants to play.
The ATP has made efforts to better integrate doubles, but the ranking disparity means a player like Sinner, whose schedule is built around winning singles majors, would need to play significantly more doubles to earn a ranking that guarantees entry with his preferred partner. It’s a commitment he and his team have understandably been unwilling to make.
Conclusion: A Waiting Game in the Desert
As the tennis caravan settles into Indian Wells, Jannik Sinner's focus will rightly be on defending his semifinal points from 2023 and continuing his assault on the No. 1 ranking. Yet, in the background, he and Lorenzo Sonego will be monitoring the doubles withdrawal list with hopeful interest. Their potential partnership is a reminder of the sport's camaraderie and the simple joy of playing with a friend.
Whether they ultimately take the court together or not, the scenario highlights the intricate and often overlooked logistics of professional tennis. For now, Sinner faces the unusual possibility of being blocked from a tournament not by a rival's winner, but by the cold arithmetic of a combined ranking list. The ball, as they say, is in the court of those four teams ahead of them on the alternate list.