Jannik Sinner won the 2026 Miami Open to enter the history books on Sunday, March 29. The World No. 2's dominant run in the ATP 1000 events also led him to achieve the 'Sunshine Double'. In the same event, WTA World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka won the women's singles title to enter the exclusive list of players to win the 'Sunshine Double'.

There has been a lot of buzz about the 'Sunshine Double' since the start of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells this season. In tennis, winning the coveted 'Sunshine Double' is a prestigious achievement, and for players, it's no lesser feat than lifting the Grand Slam title.

So, what is Sunshine Double, and why is the tennis world buzzing about it in March?

What is Sunshine Double?

Sunshine Double refers to winning both the BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells) and Miami Open titles in the same year. To win these two ATP and WTA 1000-level tournaments demands totally different skill sets, as both events are scheduled back-to-back on the tour and played in different conditions.

Indian Wells and Miami Open are ATP/WTA 1000-level events, the highest class of tournaments after Majors and season-ending Finals. Both events are held back-to-back in March every year on hardcourts. Miami's humid conditions and sunny desert in Indian Wells bring out players' physical endurance and mental strength.

To put it simply, only 11 players had won the Sunshine Double before Sinner and Sabalenka's entry in March 2026. The 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal, the legendary American Serena Williams and the current World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz have never won at Indian Wells and Miami the same year; this highlights the level of these two events.

Players to conquer Sunshine Double

In men's tennis, only eight players, including Jannik Sinner, have managed to achieve the Sunshine Double feat. Jim Courier was the first player to make the Sunshine Double in 1991, followed by Michael Chang in 1992.

The former No. 1 Roger Federer was the player to record this feat multiple times in a career. He first achieved it in 2005 and and defended it in 2006. The Swiss legend went on to win and bag his third Sunshine Double in 2017.

When it comes to tennis records, Novak Djokovic's name is always there. The 24-time Grand Slam winner first won it in 2011 and then created history by winning it three times in a row in 2014, 2015, and 2016. He remains the only player to win at both Indian Wells and Miami in the same year four times.

Now, Jannik Sinner has become the first player to achieve a Sunshine Double since Roger Federer in 2017.

Players to win Sunshine Double (men's singles)

  1. Jim Courier - 1991
  2. Michael Chang - 1992
  3. Pete Sampras - 1994
  4. Marcelo Rios - 1998
  5. Andre Agassi - 2001
  6. Roger Federer - 2005, 2006, 2017
  7. Novak Djokovic - 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016
  8. Jannik Sinner - 2026

In women's tennis, only five players have managed to get their hands on this historic achievement. The legendary German Steffi Graf first achieved a Sunshine Double in 1994 and went on to win it again in 1996. She remains the only woman to achieve this feat twice in a career.

The six-time Major champion and the current World No. 3, Iga Swiatek, achieved this feat in 2022. Her nearest rival, Aryna Sabalenka, became the latest entrant by winning both the Indian Wells Open and the Miami Open in 2026.

Aryna Sabalenka sunshine double
Aryna Sabalenka celebrates her Indian Wells Open 2026 win - Image source: X/BNPPARIBASOPEN

Players to win Sunshine Double (women's singles)

  1. Steffi Graf - 1994, 1996
  2. Kim Clijsters - 2005
  3. Victoria Azarenka - 2016
  4. Iga Swiatek - 2022
  5. Aryna Sabalenka - 2026

Meanwhile, it is worth noting that Jannik Sinner's achievement in 2026 holds a different value. He became the first-ever player, male or female, to win the Sunshine Double without losing a set.

Also read: Jannik Sinner breaks a Novak Djokovic record at the Miami Open that had stood since 2016