Alcaraz, Medvedev Rally To Reach Indian Wells Title Rematch

Both Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev had to rally from a set down to return to the Indian Wells title match.

In a much-anticipated showdown, Alcaraz snapped Jannik Sinner‘s 19-match win streak with an impressive 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory, his best in months.

“I’m really, really happy to classify for another final. It means a lot to me to play such a great level and be able to play another final,” Alcaraz said. “Of course beating Jannik, we have a really good rivalry. And of course 16-match streak, and to be able to end something like this, it’s incredible for me.”

Sinner swamped Alcaraz early overpowering his rival before Alcaraz got into gear. The match was delayed multiple times early in the first — for nearly three hours.

Alcaraz, who hasn’t won a title since Wimbledon, has won 11 straight at Indian Wells and ends a 2-match losing streak to Sinner.

“Every time that I’m gonna face Jannik I’m going to get nervous,” added Alcaraz. “That’s for sure. Because I know that I have to play him 100% if I want to beat him. But yeah, doesn’t get me nervous the facts of that I am behind in head-to-head. It give me extra motivation to give my 100% just to beat him in that head-to-head.

“I try to play my best every match against him, to be able to catch him. I think I did it. We are equals right now, if I’m not wrong. So the next time that I’m going to face him, I’m not gonna think about I’m battling that.”

Sinner appeared to have a calf issue late in the match and at one point dove onto the court injuring his left wrist.

it’s for sure not the ending that I wanted, but, you know, playing against him, it’s always tough.

I tried to, yeah, to play obviously good tennis, which I have done, especially the first set. Then I made a couple of mistakes. You know, the momentum has changed. He raised his level.

“Obviously tough one to swallow, but, you know, hopefully we will see in the next days if physically I will be good for Miami, which is for me personally the most important,” Sinner said after his first loss of the season. “And I’m really happy that, you know, for him because he’s a really great player, good guy.

“I had some problems, just small problems, but it was okay throughout until the third set. Then when I fell, I felt a little bit the elbow because I fell over the elbow and I rolled over. So was for me after tough to serve.

“But he makes things very difficult to play obviously. He puts a lot of pressure on you. You know, he changed a couple of things today, like, tactically, which I have to watch out for the next time. I have to improve couple of things and trying to beat him again.”

Medvedev followed Alcaraz’s pattern, dropping the first and then winning the next two with a 1-6, 7-6(3), 6-2 victory over American Tommy Paul.

“It was very tough. When it’s evening and cold here, it’s very tough to go through the serve,” said Medvedev, who was broken in all three of his first-set service games. “I understood that, and he played an unbelievable first set. So I was like, OK, if I want to win I just have to try to do a little bit better to find the shot that’s going to make him in trouble. I found some, especially on my serve.

“Then the match started to be a long fight. Even in the third set, it was 6-2, but it was very, very long games and I think it was a long set. So I’m really happy to be able to pull this out.”

Alcaraz leads Medvedev 3-2 with two easy wins last year in the Indian Wells final and the Wimbledon semifinals. But Medvedev turned the tables in the US Open semifinals before Alcaraz got the upper hand again at the ATP Finals.

INDIAN WELLS SUNDAY SCHEDULE
Stadium 1 – 11am
(1) Iga Swiatek (POL) vs (9) Maria Sakkari (GRE)
2pm
(4) Daniil Medvedev (RUS) vs (2) Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)

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