One of the most talked about R128 fixtures at Tennis Paradise.
In the battle of the single-handed backhands, former Top-10 players Stefanos Tsitsipas and Denis Shapovalov will meet earlier than expected in the 2026 Indian Wells Round of 128 on Wednesday. The encounter will headline a feisty set of opening round battles at the BNP Paribas Open, with the winner set to face Tomas Martin Etcheverry in Round-2 and possibly Jannik Sinner in Round-3. While the Canadian southpaw currently has the advantage in the rivalry, Tsitsipas is a two-time Grand Slam finalist with bucketloads of experience. Who will emerge triumphant?
Dubai last year was unforgettable.
— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@stefanos) February 23, 2026
Starting my title defense with gratitude, hoping to emulate that run this year again 🤞 pic.twitter.com/v0gbq3PZ6r
Stefanos Tsitsipas is currently ranked No. 43 in the world – his lowest in years. The former World No. 3 went unbeaten at the United Cup and also had an impressive run at the Qatar Open. With a record of 9-5 in 2026 and 376-188 overall, the 27-year-old from Greece will be hoping to punch above his weight in California. Another player who has been underperforming of late, Denis Shapovalov is searching for his first championship run since July 2025. The World No. 39 reached the semifinal in Dallas last month, but failed to make his presence felt in any other tournament. Shapovalov is bidding for his fifth career trophy at Tennis Paradise.
Tsitsipas vs Shapovalov R1 at Indian Wells 👀
— Olly Tennis 🎾 🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) March 2, 2026
According to the tennis betting odds on BetMGM, Stefanos Tsitsipas (-137) is the favorite and Denis Shapovalov (+110) is the underdog in this opening round thriller on American soil. Here’s how we are betting on this Round of 128 duel at the ATP BNP Paribas Open 2026 at Indian Wells, including our best bets, supporting odds and a set-score prop for bigger prices.
Given below are the latest odds for Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Denis Shapovalov from the top sportsbooks. We are looking at the match money line, game handicap and total games, plus some set betting markets where available.
| Market | BetMGM | FanDuel |
| Moneyline | Tsitsipas (-137), Shapovalov (+110) | Tsitsipas (-137), Shapovalov (+114) |
| Game Handicap | Tsitsipas -1.5 (-110), Shapovalov +1.5 (-118) | |
| Total Games | >23.5 (-103), <23.5 (-127) | |
| Set Betting | Tsitsipas 2-0 (+163), Shapovalov 2-0 (+235) |
Our Pick: Stefanos Tsitsipas -1.5 Games at -110 Odds.
Denis Shapovalov leads the head-to-head against Stefanos Tsitsipas by 4-2. Interestingly, the Canadian is unbeaten against his counterpart on hard courts. The only two wins for Tsitsipas in this rivalry have come on clay courts. This is set to be the first meeting between Tsitsipas and Shapovalov in two years.
| Event | Round | Winner | Score |
| 2024 Miami | Round of 64 | Denis Shapovalov | 6-2 6-4 |
| 2023 Barcelona | Round of 16 | Stefanos Tsitsipas | 6-3 6-2 |
| 2020 ATP Cup | Round Robin | Denis Shapovalov | 7-6(6) 7-6(4) |
| 2019 Miami | Round of 16 | Denis Shapovalov | 4-6 6-3 7-6(3) |
| 2018 Monte-Carlo | Round of 64 | Stefanos Tsitsipas | 6-3 6-4 |
| 2018 Australian Open | Round of 128 | Denis Shapovalov | 6-1 6-3 7-6(5) |
The ATP Indian Wells 2026 can be streamed live on various platforms and channels, depending on which part of the world you are watching from. This includes Tennis TV, Tennis Channel, Sky Sports, beIN Sports, ESPN International, Setanta Sports and TSN.
Djokovic x Tsitsipas
— TennisTemple (@tennistemple) March 3, 2026
Indian Wells 2024 pic.twitter.com/ZAVlbKolgu
| Date | March 4, 2026 |
| Time | Around 19:30 Est. (Subject to Change) |
| Tournament | ATP BNP Paribas Open, Round of 128 |
| Surface | Outdoor Hard Court |
| Court | Stadium 1, Indian Wells Tennis Garden |
| TV/Streaming | Tennis TV, Tennis Channel, Sky Sports, beIN Sports, ESPN International, Setanta Sports and TSN. |
(Image Credits: Mike Frey, Imagn Images)
A passionate sports fan through and through, I am currently pursuing my MA in Global Sports Journalism. I specialise in tennis and football writing at The Playoffs News, and I have prior experience working at EssentiallySports and Sportskeeda. Born and raised in Bengaluru, India, sport was my safe space right from my childhood. After trying my hand at multiple sports and representing my educational institutions in cricket, badminton and table tennis, I found sports media to be my calling.
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