Sunshine Double pioneer: The first player ever to win Indian Wells and Miami Open

The Miami Open has become one of tennis’ most significant tournaments, forming half of a demanding two-event stretch that few players have managed to win back-to-back.

Known as the ‘Sunshine Double’, pulling off wins at both Indian Wells and Miami in the same season is a rare accomplishment, reserved for just a few of the sport’s elite.

Jim Courier didn’t rely on luck for his place in history, going on to claim four Grand Slam titles after securing the Sunshine Double.

Jim Courier’s Run to the Indian Wells and Miami Open

It was 1991, and Boris Becker had just dethroned two-time defending Australian Open champion Ivan Lendl in the final.

Many expected the German to dominate, and while he impressed at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, he didn’t manage to make a mark on the Sunshine Double.

Instead, it was a 20-year-old Courier who stepped into the spotlight, beating Guy Forget in the final of Indian Wells before following that up with a title in Miami as well.

Courier took advantage of an open field in Miami. With several top seeds exiting early, he made his way through the draw and faced an unseeded David Wheaton in the final, coming out on top. This made Courier the first player ever to accomplish this rare achievement.

The list has since grown: six men and four women have repeated what Courier did back then. Yet when it comes to who first lifted Miami’s trophy, that honour goes elsewhere.

Who else has completed the Sunshine Double?

Michael Chang was the next to win both events, achieving the double in 1992.

Pete Sampras and Steffi Graf both completed the double in 1994, with Graf going on to do it a second time later in her career.

Marcelo Rios and Andre Agassi also joined the list of winners from that decade. In the 2000s, Roger Federer, Kim Clijsters, and Victoria Azarenka each won both events. Federer managed it three times, while Djokovic holds the record with four consecutive titles.

Iga Świątek is the most recent player to complete the double, doing so in 2022.

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