Four Tennis Stars Advance at Indian Wells

Grigor Dimitrov, Sebastian Korda, Mackenzie McDonald, and Alex Michelsen win first-round matches

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Several top tennis players, including Grigor Dimitrov, Sebastian Korda, Mackenzie McDonald, and Alex Michelsen, won their opening-round matches at the ATP tournament in Indian Wells, California on Thursday. The players will now advance to the second round of the prestigious event.

Why it matters

The Indian Wells tournament is one of the most important events on the ATP calendar outside of the Grand Slams. Strong performances here can boost a player's ranking and confidence heading into the rest of the season.

The details

Dimitrov, currently ranked world No. 42, defeated No. 52 Terence Atmane in three sets. Korda, the world No. 37, cruised past No. 82 Francisco Comesana in straight sets. McDonald, ranked No. 126, easily handled No. 85 Matteo Arnaldi. And Michelsen, the world No. 44, beat No. 139 Daniel Merida Aguilar in two sets.

  • The matches took place on March 5, 2026.

The players

Grigor Dimitrov

A former world No. 3 player who has won 9 career ATP titles on various surfaces.

Sebastian Korda

The 37th-ranked American player who won his first ATP title in Delray Beach earlier this year.

Mackenzie McDonald

The world No. 126 American player who is looking to build on his career-high ranking of No. 57 achieved in 2022.

Alex Michelsen

The 44th-ranked player who reached the semifinals in Brisbane earlier this season.

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What they’re saying

“I'm really pleased with how I was able to battle through that match. It's always tough playing the first round, but I felt like I handled it well.”

— Grigor Dimitrov (tennistonic.com)

“The conditions out here are always a challenge, but I was able to find my rhythm and play some solid tennis today.”

— Sebastian Korda (tennistonic.com)

What’s next

Dimitrov will face world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the second round, while Korda will take on No. 6 Alex de Minaur. McDonald and Michelsen will also have tough matchups against No. 29 Cameron Norrie and No. 34 Ugo Humbert, respectively.

The takeaway

The opening-round wins by these four players demonstrate the depth of talent on the ATP Tour, as they look to make deep runs at one of the most prestigious non-Grand Slam events on the calendar.