Indian Wells 2024: 5 favorites to win the men's singles title ft. Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz

It is almost time for the Sunshine Double, with Novak Djokovic leading the field at the ATP 1000 Masters event at Indian Wells, officially known as the BNP Paribas Open. It will take place from March 6 to March 17.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, along with other big names such as reigning Australian Open winner Jannik Sinner and the returning Rafael Nadal, will also be in action.

With the main draw action to begin in just a few days, let's take a look at the five biggest contenders for the men’s singles crown at Indian Wells:

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#5 Andrey Rublev

Andrey Rublev may not have the best record in the desert, but that’s mostly owing to heavy conditions that he is not the most comfortable in.

Despite the courts not playing to his liking, the Russian has made the semifinal at Indian Wells in the past. He also got a big chip off his shoulder last year after winning an ATP 1000 Masters title in Monte Carlo.

The newfound self-belief has seen Rublev make the quarterfinals at every Grand Slam since and his 14-3 win-loss for the season — which includes a title in Hong Kong — is also top-notch. Given his recent results, he should be viewed as a contender as big as any.

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#4 Indian Wells defending champion Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz showed just how dominant he can be on a slow hardcourt during his title run at last year’s Indian Wells Masters without dropping a set.

The youngster’s topspin heavy forehand and scrambling skills are tailor-made for success on the surface. He should be viewed as a favorite, but an injury cloud looms over him this year as he rolled his ankle in Rio in February and was forced to withdraw from the tournament.

While Alcaraz has expressed confidence in being back to 100% by the time Indian Wells begins, the lack of match practice can be a cause for concern. The Spaniard has only played nine matches in 2024, having lost three. That said, if fully fit, he will take some beating.

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#3 Daniil Medvedev

Daniil Medvedev looked prime for success in Indian Wells last year but was denied the title by Carlos Alcaraz.

However, the Russian was quick to bounce back as he captured the Miami Masters crown a fortnight later. Back after 12 months, the Russian is an even bigger threat. He has lost only one match in the 2024 season — the Australian Open final to Jannik Sinner.

Medvedev is still playing at the Dubai Tennis Championships and is only two wins away from defending a title for the first time in his career. That sort of feat should fill him with confidence before heading into another big month.

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#2 Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner has not lost a match this season. His title run at the Australian Open made for the big breakthrough that he had been looking for in the past couple of years.

The Italian's Rotterdam title win was just as impressive as well, given how he handled the pressure of being a newly-crowned Grand Slam champion.

Sinner’s service and return stats, the service games won (84%) and return games won (27%), put him atop the ladder and behind only Sebastian Baez respectively for 2024.

The World No. 3 is a complete player and if he can maintain the sort of form that he is in currently, he is likely to continue troubling every opponent standing across the net from him.

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#1 Novak Djokovic

As has often been the case in recent years, Novak Djokovic's history at the tournament puts him in a league of his own.

The Serb has a 50-9 win-loss at Indian Wells. To put things in perspective, the next-best player on this list — Daniil Medvedev — stands far behind at 11-6.

Djokovic’s loss to Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open's semifinal this year would fuel his hunger for a title even more. He has not played since Melbourne and will be raring to go.

Another factor working in Djokovic’s favor is the lack of pressure on him. With the World No. 1 ranking locked in until April, the Serb can go out on court and enjoy himself. A player with that sort of freedom is often the most dangerous.