Day 6 concluded the Round of 32 and saw the favourites getting pushed, big names wobbling, and a couple of results that put surprise names in the second week.
Carlos Alcaraz dropped his first set of the tournament and had to dig deep to turn around a feisty Arthur Rinderknech, while Novak Djokovic scraped through a three-setter that veered from controlled to chaotic and back again.
The shocks also came; Rinky Hijikata landed a maiden Top 10 win by outlasting Alexander Bublik, Cameron Norrie rekindled his Indian Wells form to take out Alex de Minaur, and Alex Michelsen produced a home upset by knocking off Taylor Fritz.
With Jack Draper and Daniil Medvedev moving smoothly and Alcaraz setting up Ruud, the Round of 16 is now stacked.
Here’s the full Day 6 recap, key matches, and the Day 7 lineup.
Day Six 2026 BNP Paribas Open Round of 32 Results
Winner
Loser
Score
(1) Carlos Alcaraz
(26) Arthur Rinderknech
6-7(6), 6-3, 6-2
(13) Casper Ruud
(24) Valentin Vacherot
3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Rinky Hijikata (Q)
(10) Alexander Bublik
6-7(3), 7-6(3), 6-3
(27) Cameron Norrie
(6) Alex de Minaur
6-4, 6-4
(3) Novak Djokovic
Aleksandar Kovacevic
6-4, 1-6, 6-4
(14) Jack Draper
(19) Francisco Cerundolo
6-1, 7-5
(11) Daniil Medvedev
Sebastian Baez
6-4, 6-0
Alex Michelsen
(7) Taylor Fritz
6-4, 7-6(6)
Key Matches
(1) Carlos Alcaraz def. (26) Arthur Rinderknech 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-2
Alcaraz faced his toughest test yet but delivered a classic comeback. He trailed by a set and an early break in the second after Rinderknech’s aggressive serving and baseline play dominated early.
Alcaraz nearly stole the first set, fighting back from 2-5 down to reach set point at 6-5, but mishit a forehand. Rinderknech won the tiebreak and broke to start set two.
“I got in trouble… but I accepted it, kept going, stayed strong… started to play more solid, waiting for my chances.”
He broke four times across the final two sets, overwhelming Rinderknech after finding his rhythm. A minor ankle misstep early in set two raised brief concern, but Alcaraz moved freely in the third and came through one of those match ups he struggles with.
Next: vs. Casper Ruud (5-1 H2H lead).
Rinky Hijikata (Q) def. (10) Alexander Bublik 6-7(3), 7-6(3), 6-3
The Australian qualifier produced a big upset, claiming his maiden Top 10 win and reaching his first ATP Masters 1000 fourth round.
Hijikata rallied after losing the first-set tiebreak, winning the second in another breaker before dominating the third.
The match lasted over 2.5 hours, with Hijikata’s solid play and composure shining against Bublik’s flair (including his trademark racket handle shot).
Next: vs. Cameron Norrie.
(27) Cameron Norrie def. (6) Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4
The 2021 Indian Wells champion delivered a clean upset, saving 6 of 7 break points in 1 hour 39 minutes. Norrie improved to 3-2 H2H vs. de Minaur with disciplined returning and baseline control. Norrie enjoys Indian Wells and De Minaur’s form has taled off in the last couple of weeks so not a huge surprise as Norrie’s game style is super consistent.
(3) Novak Djokovic def. Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
Djokovic came through a tricky encounter against fellow Serbian-speaker and long-time admirer, Kovacevic.
Djokovic won the first set but dipped in the second (winning just one game as he struggled with an arm problem). In the decider, he steadied despite clutching his ankle after a long point early, regaining range in the desert conditions.
Post-match: “Winning ugly… that’s what counts.” Djokovic praised Kovacevic’s performance and noted his own 34-1 record in matches after winning the opener. At 38, he became the second-oldest to reach Masters 1000 R16 since 1990 (behind Karlovic at 40 in 2019 IW).
Next: vs. defending champion Jack Draper.
Other Notable Matches
(13) Casper Ruud def. (24) Valentin Vacherot 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Ruud overcame a slow start against the unseeded Vacherot, dropping the opener before steadying his baseline game and consistency.
(14) Jack Draper def. (19) Francisco Cerundolo 6-1, 7-5. The defending champion advanced convincingly, dominating early and holding firm in the second set for a solid straight-sets win.
(11) Daniil Medvedev def. Sebastian Baez 6-4, 6-0. Medvedev dominated the evening session on Stadium 2, reaching 15 wins in 2026 and he’s on a six-match streak from his Dubai title. He overpowered Baez after a competitive first set.
Alex Michelsen def. (7) Taylor Fritz 6-4, 7-6(6). A huge home-crowd upset: The 21-year-old American beat the 2022 champion and No. 7 seed in 1 hour 39 minutes. Michelsen saved 7 of 8 break points, won 73% of first-serve points (40/55), and held firm after dropping serve while serving for the match. In the tiebreak, he saved a set point at 5-6 before sealing it.
Highlights
Indian Wells 2026 Day 7 Round of 16 Matches
(25) Learner Tien vs (18) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
(21) Frances Tiafoe vs (4) Alexander Zverev
(30) Arthur Fils vs (9) Felix Auger-Aliassime
Joao Fonseca vs (2) Jannik Sinner