For the second consecutive year Carlos Alcaraz wins the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells, once again beating the Russian Daniil Medvedev in the final: 7-6 6-1 this time, 6-3 6-2 twelve months ago.
“Winning this tournament – Alcaraz said – it’s very important to me. At the beginning I had many doubts about my ankle; the first training sessions were hard because I didn’t feel well. But already from the first rounds I always felt better. This victory gives me a lot of confidence also in view of the Miami tournament.”
It’s a balanced final for 70 minutes, then Jannik Sinner’s executioner spreads, forcing the Russian to play the supporting role.
Alcaraz wins the toss and decides to respond. Medvedev starts in fourth, opens the match with a forehand winner, then flies to the net to close a high backhand volley, winning serve and then ace to close a perfect game.
Alcaraz, on the other hand, was immediately forced to face a break point after the forehand error. The Spaniard saves himself with a very deep first shot, but at the second chance the Russian extends for 2-0. The Spaniard’s errors are already many, including those that arrive on the three counter-break balls. Alcaraz is crushed by the powerful and deep diagonals of the Russian, who goes up 3-0 on the third occasion, maintaining a very long game of almost 10 minutes. Medvedev seems to think less, he hammers like a blacksmith, he reaches the ball to make it 4-1, commits a double fault and Alcaraz places the counterbreak with a forehand passer.
The balance holds until 4 all. Medvedev tries to shuffle the cards, hits the net often, saves a break point and then with the second ace of the match manages to reach 5-4. But Alcaraz doesn’t give up and after an hour the two reach the tie-break.
Alcaraz seems to have more weapons and plays the first two points impeccably. All-court tennis rewards the Spaniard who goes up 3-0 and switches sides at 4-2. The Spaniard maintains the initial mini break until 5-4: Alcaraz decides to go to the net from an attack to the center and Medvedev passes him for 5 all. After an hour and 9 minutes the set point arrives for Alcaraz on the Russian’s serve. Medvedev tries to exit the diagonal of the forehand but makes a mistake and the Spaniard wins a decidedly balanced first half.
The crowd lined up for the Spaniard who raised his level further at the start of the second and the match went out: 3-0 and then an easy final 6-1 after an hour and 41 minutes of play.
For Alcaraz it is the first title from Wimbledon last yearthe second consecutive success in Indian Wells, the fifth in the Masters 1000 after Miami 2022 and the Madrid 2022-2023 pairing, the 13th of his career.
For Medvedev it is the fourth defeat in ten Masters 1000 finals:
In the ranking of Monday 18 March Alcaraz confirms the second position in the world. The top 4 in the world are now all wrapped up in one handkerchief: Djokovic 9725 points, Alcaraz 8805, Sinnier 8310 and Medvedev 7765.