There have only been 11 Sunshine Double winners in the history of tennis but what exactly is the accomplishment? How hard is to achieve and what players can boast completing the Sunshine Double?
In total, seven men and four women have entered the Sunshine Double winners hall of fame. And with Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka very much in the reckoning to have their names included this season, it is something worth considering when it comes to tennis betting on BetVictor.
What Is The Sunshine Double?
Quite simply, the Sunshine Double is a prestigious and rare tennis feat which is earned by landing both the Indian Wells and Miami Open titles back-to-back in the same season. The achievement is considered one of the toughest in tennis owing to the stamina, endurance and psychological aspect required.
This year, Jannik Sinner is the men’s favourite in BetVictor’s Miami Open outright betting market after winning at Indian Wells earlier this month. The same applies to Aryna Sabalenka, who is the favourite in the women’s outright Miami Open betting market as she also tasted success at the same event.
Why Is The Sunshine Double Considered So Difficult?
To earn a place in the Sunshine double winners list, tennis professionals have to navigate extremely gruelling and difficult playing conditions. Indian Wells takes part in the dry desert air of California, while Miami brings humid, heavy conditions on the opposite side of the US.
Players have little time to adjust or rest owing to the short turnaround between the tournaments. The competition is also fierce, with strong fields selected in both the ATP and WTA sectors. Furthermore, there are different court speeds to navigate. Indian Wells is slower and higher‑bouncing; Miami is faster.
The drastic change in conditions is a true test to a player’s grit, determination and overall will to succeed. Competing and winning both hard-court tournaments in the same season is often regarded as an achievement similar to landing a Grand Slam.
Who Are The Sunshine Double Winners?
In the men’s game, the Sunshine Double has been up for grabs since 1985. Which is the year that the Miami Open was included on the ATP calendar alongside Indian Wells. For the women’s the accomplishment has been available to achieve since 1989. That is when Indian Wells joined the Miami Open on the WTA schedule.
So, what players can call themselves Sunshine Doubles winners? Who was the most youngest victor? Who’s the Sunshine Double record holder? Who completed the Sunshine Double most recently? And who was the first recipient? Let’s take a look:
Sunshine Double Winners (Men): Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andre Agassi, Marcelo Rios, Pete Sampras, Michael Chang and Jim Courier.
Sunshine Double Winners (Women’s): Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek.
Most Sunshine Double wins: Novak Djokovic (4), Roger Federer (3), Steffi Graf (2) All remaining winners (1).
Last Male winner: Roger Federer (2017)
Last Female winner: Iga Swiatek (2022)
Youngest ever Sunshine Double winner: Michael Chang (20yrs, 1 month) in 1992
First ever Sunshine Double winner: Jim Courier (1991)
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