Field Level Media
19 Mar 2023, 09:35 GMT+10
Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz beat 11th-seeded Jannik Sinner 7-6 (4), 6-3 in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., on Saturday to move within one win of grabbing the No. 1 spot in the world rankings.
The 19-year-old Spaniard will face Russian Daniil Medvedev in Sunday's final. Medvedev, seeded fifth and ranked sixth in the world, dispatched American Frances Tiafoe in the other semifinal Saturday, winning a tight battle 7-5, 7-6 (4).
Ranked No. 2 in the world, Alcaraz made much quicker work of the 21-year-old Sinner than in their last match -- last year's historic US Open quarterfinal that lasted five sets and 5 hours, 15 minutes and ended at 2:50 a.m. local time, the latest finish in Open history.
But that isn't to say Saturday's match was easy for Alcaraz. After breaking Sinner's serve to take a 4-2 lead in the first set, Alcaraz gave one back to the Italian to make it 4-4. Sinner had set point on Alcaraz's serve while up 6-5, but Alcaraz forced deuce before taking the game and then the tiebreaker.
"Playing against Jannik is never easy. I had to overcome a little bit of problems. I had set point down," Alcaraz said of the first set. "I knew that I had to increase my level to (beat) Jannik. It was a really close first set. In the second set I put out all the nerves and played more relaxed. I think it was the key of everything."
According to the ATP Tour, along with playing for the No. 1 ranking, Alcaraz on Sunday will look to become only the second player with three ATP Masters 1000 titles as a teenager, joining countryman Rafael Nadal. Alcaraz already has titles in Madrid and Miami.
As for his opponent, Medvedev enters the final on a roll, winning his last 19 matches and three tournaments he has entered. Sunday will be his first final in Indian Wells.
Like Alcaraz, Medvedev had a much bigger struggle than a straight-sets win may otherwise indicate. The 27-year-old and former world No. 1 faltered on seven match points and lost serve twice before finally putting away the 25-year-old Tiafoe.
"It was crazy at the end," Medvedev said. "I got super tight. I would say that (after) 6-5, 40-0, I think I got tight at deuce when I was like, 'Oh my god, that's a lot of opportunities missed, this could go not well for me'.
"So I got really tight, (but) I still managed to continue playing good. ... The ace (on match point) was a relief, I'm just really happy that I managed not to lose this match."
Medvedev has titles at Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai in his current run.
"I'm playing better and better I would say," said Medvedev, who rolled his ankle in the fourth round and cut his thumb in the quarters. "When I rolled my ankle I started playing better on this court!"
Alcaraz and Medvedev has met once before, a straight-sets win by Medvedev at Wimbledon in 2021.
--Field Level MediaGet a daily dose of Irish Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Irish Sun.
More InformationBRUSSELS, Belgium: Meta is holding firm on its controversial pay-or-consent model, a move that could lead to fresh antitrust charges...
LONDON, U.K.: American consumers and businesses could soon face the highest overall tariff burden in more than a century, according...
The family of Sayfollah Saif Musallet, a 20-year-old American citizen who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the occupied West...
CONCORD, New Hampshire: A federal judge in New Hampshire issued a crucial ruling on July 10 against President Donald Trump's executive...
DUBAI, U.A.E.: A cargo ship flagged under Liberia, known as the Eternity C, sank in the Red Sea following an attack executed by Yemen's...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Trump administration has started sending some weapons to Ukraine again, just a week after the Pentagon told officials...
DUBLIN, Ireland: Temperatures reached 28 degrees in some parts of the country on July 11, and a yellow weather warning is now in place....
BRUSSELS, Belgium: Meta is holding firm on its controversial pay-or-consent model, a move that could lead to fresh antitrust charges...
DUBLIN, Ireland: The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has issued a strong safety warning ahead of this weekend's expected...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Trump administration has started sending some weapons to Ukraine again, just a week after the Pentagon told officials...
DUBLIN, Ireland: Irish Rail incurred over 26,000 euros in damages due to a series of graffiti incidents carried out by a 24-year-old...
SLUBICE, Poland: Poland reinstated border controls with Germany and Lithuania on July 7, following Germany's earlier reintroduction...