Anticipation is building as tennis shifts from the season’s first Grand Slam to the sun-soaked spectacle of Indian Wells. Yet beneath the desert glamour, controversy brews as a puzzling reduction in prize money casts a long shadow. The financial shift has now fueled a swelling wave of withdrawals, reshaping the tournament’s competitive landscape.

As a result, the draw is beginning to thin. Filip Misolic is the latest name to pull out, adding to an expanding list of absentees. Most notably, Tomas Machac will also miss the tournament, as he continues to recover from a knee injury and has not regained full fitness in time to compete.

Tallon Griekspoor will also miss the event. He recently pulled out of the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. A hamstring issue keeps him out. Jaume Munar is dealing with a right arm injury. He plans to return during the clay season. For now, he stays off the court.

Pablo Carreño Busta withdrew at the last minute from qualifying. His exit came just before the Californian tournament began. That late decision reshaped the qualifying field.

Shang Juncheng has also withdrawn. So have Lorenzo Sonego, Eliot Spizzirri, Hamad Medjedovic, and Jesper de Jong. The absentee list keeps expanding.

Holger Rune will not feature either. He remains stuck in Qatar due to the Middle East conflict. As a result, he has not been scheduled for any match in Indian Wells.

The situation unfolded after the tournament reduced its prize money. The 2026 total purse stands at $9,415,725 for ATP men’s singles and doubles. The WTA women’s singles and doubles offer the same amount.

That makes a combined total of $18,831,450 for the joint ATP and WTA 1000 event. However, that figure is lower than in 2025. The drop has drawn attention across the circuit.

Last year, the men’s combined purse was $9,693,540. The women’s purse reached $9,489,532. Together, the total stood at $19,387,080, up 6.63% from 2024.

Now the overall prize money has decreased by around 2.87% in 2026. In 2025, Draper earned $1,201,125 for winning the men’s singles title. Rune collected $638,750 as runner-up.

This year, according to the ATP Tour website, the men’s champion will receive $1,151,380. The runner-up will earn $612,340. Meanwhile, the qualifying draw has shifted dramatically, with the cutoff dropping to world No. 185 Elias Ymer, giving lower-ranked players a rare opening.

This may not be the first tournament in 2026 to witness major withdrawals, as the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships has already seen an unusually high number of player pullouts this season.

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and Merida Open hit by wave of major withdrawals

Before Jessica Pegula lifted the trophy in Dubai, the WTA draw had already suffered heavy withdrawals at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. The Masters 1000 event lost big names early. Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek pulled out before the tournament began.

Later, Daria Kasatkina withdrew. Wild card Sara Bejlek also exited with an abdominal injury. The 20-year-old had just won her first WTA title in Abu Dhabi as a qualifier and entered the Top 50.

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Canadian youngster Victoria Mboko withdrew before facing Jaqueline Cristian in the first round. The late change disrupted the schedule. The draw kept shifting.

Paula Badosa retired mid-match in Dubai with a right thigh injury. Her fitness remains a concern. Even recently, Sloane Stephens also withdrew from the Merida Open. 

Maria Sakkari continues to battle illness. Kasatkina deals with a right hip issue. Liudmila Samsonova (left knee), Diana Shnaider (right knee), and Elisabetta Cocciaretto (left thigh) are also out from Mexico.

With so many absences on the WTA side at the Merida Open, the spotlight now shifts to the ATP field at the Indian Wells Masters. 

Fans now wonder how long the event can maintain its strength and appeal.