ATP
Alcaraz snaps Sinner win streak in Indian Wells semi-final drama
Carlos Alcaraz handed on-fire Jannik Sinner a first defeat this season, with the Spaniard snapping the Italian’s 19-match win streak 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday at the Indian Wells Masters.
Sinner came to the semi-final with 16 match wins this season and three at the end of 2023 but was finally toppled by his hottest rival in a tight battle paused for some rare poor weather in the Californian desert.
The opening set was interrupted midway through by what turned into a three-hour rain delay, with Sinner eventually sealing the set as he won the last five games.
World No. 2 Alcaraz managed to hold off the charging italian who won the Australian Open and Rotterdam titles this season, saving break points in the second set and advancing on his third match point of the third.
The victory in two hours of playing time prevented the third-ranked Sinner from passing Alcaraz lhim in the rankings – for now.
The pause for weather was a second in a row for Alcaraz, whose semi-final was infamously interrupted by a swarm of bees, the humane removal of which turned a local bee wrangler into a one-day social media hero.
“We were laughing about it with Jannik when it was suspended, because I had bees, had the rain,’ Alcaraz said.
“Let’s see what’s gonna happen tomorrow (Sunday final against Daniil Medvedev, who defeated Tommy Paul 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2). Maybe a random guy, who knows?
“Having to start the match and then have to stop, start again, it’s difficult for me.
“But I’m really happy I ended the match playing at a high level.”
Sinner took his disappointment in stride, with a possible chance for immediate revenge at the Miami Masters starting at mid-week.
“(This is) obviously a tough one to swallow, but hopefully we will see in the next days if physically I will be good for Miami.
“That for me is the most important,” he said. “I’m focused already on Miami. For sure it’s tough that it (win streak) has to end like this, but I feel grateful for what I’m doing.”
Alcaraz becomes the first man to reach the Indian Wells final as defending champion since Roger Federer in 2018.
The Spaniard has won his last 11 matches at the venue but has not lifted a trophy since Wimbledon eight months ago.
In the second semi-final, 2023 finalist Daniil Medvedev rallied after a slow start to dispatch American Tommy Paul with a fightback in the second and third sets.
Medvedev and Alcaraz will play the first repeat final at Indian Wells since Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in 2014-2015.
Medvedev levelled the sets at one apiece with a winning tiebreak and battled through a challenging final set to swamp his local opponent after Paul missed chances on his last four break points in the concluding games.
“I knew after the first set I would have to do better,’ Medvedev said. “Tommy was playing well, but I was able to hit more winners , some maces, more balls on the line.
“Against Carlos in the final, I know what happened last year and I want to try and turn that around.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to recover for the fight tomorrow.”
Arthur Fils spent just 20 minutes on court before advancing to the semi-finals in Barcelona on Friday as opponent Stefanos Tsitsipas quit their quarter-final with apparent illness.
The rising Frenchman collected a 2-0 win as the four-time runner-up walked to the net midway through the third game, unable to continue.
Fills will take on two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz for a place in the title match.
The pair played only last week in Monte Carlos, with Alcaraz posting a comeback quarter-final win.
“I think Stef has a bug, but I’m not sure,” Fils said. “I was ready to battle for a few hours, we always have tough matches.
“I hope he will be ready for the next weeks and Roland Garros.”
The No. 14 said he is pleased with the state of his own game: “I’m playing great, the match in Monte Carlo against Carlitos was positive even if I lost.”
Main photo; Arthus Fils in action -by ISF Ltd
Carlos Alcaraz fought off serving problems early on to dismiss the upset plans of Alex de Minaur, with the Spanish top seed reaching the Barcelona Open semi-finals 7-5, 6-4.
Last weekend’s Monte Carlo champion moved to within a pair of wins of a repeat in the chase for a third title at the home clay event.
Alcaraz twice trailed by a break in the opening set against his Australian opponent who learned his clay tennis in Spain.
But the local fought from 1-3 down to finally take the set on his second opportunity before whipping his game into shape for a sprint to the finish as he dominated to close out a third straight-set win of the week.
Two time Barca winner Alcaraz has now won his last right clay matches to reach the 36th semi-final of his career.
“It was really tight in the first set, I’m glad I ended up winning it.” he said. “In the second I played well the entire time.
“I started quite badly with serve in the first few games. But I calmed myself down and improved that.
“I started thinking positive and kept going to find my good tennis.”
Alcaraz leads the ATP with 23 clay victories this season – one more than seventh seed de Minaur.
Main photo:- Carlos Alcaraz winning in Barcelona – by Banc Sabadell Trofeo
Holger Rune upset Barcelona Open holder Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-2, with the Dane set for a return to a top 10 ranking after winning Friday’s Scandinavian showdown.
Rune dominated his Norwegian rival in the 87 minute quarter-final, with Ruud now set to slide from the ranking elite from his 10th position as a result of the loss.
Victory marked a turning point for Rune, who stood 1-6 against a rival with three Grand Slam finals – two at Roland Garros – to his credit.
Rune clinched victory with his 16th winner after an exhausting duel on match point, which he won with a forehand down the line.
Ruud looked to be well off his usual clay game, committing 29 unforced errors including three double-faults.
“I’m proud of myself, I was hitting through my shots and I played explosively,” the winner said. “Casper is a great player and he made it difficult.
“Despite all the (Scandinavian) hype, I tried to look at it as just another match. I
I’m very happy I beat him today.”
Rune will challenge for the finals in the Catalan capital in a Saturday match against Karen Khachanov, who defeated Monte Carlo semi-finalist Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-4, 7-5.
Rune won his sixth Tour quarter-final since last August and earned his first top 10 win on clay since defeating No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov at Monte Carlo in 2024.
Tsitsipas quits Barca match with illness
Alcaraz fights through early niggles in Barcelona
Rune returns to top 10 after defeat of Ruud
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