Alcaraz sets up Medvedev Indian Wells semifinal, Sabalenka also advances | Tennis News
Alcaraz Advances to Indian Wells Semifinals; Sinner Faces Zverev
World number one Carlos Alcaraz defeated Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday, advancing to the semifinals of the Indian Wells tournament. Alcaraz will face Daniil Medvedev, who defeated Jack Draper in a 6-1, 7-5 match following a controversial umpiring decision.
In the women’s draw, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka secured her spot in the semifinals with a 7-6(0), 6-4 victory over 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko. However, Iga Swiatek was eliminated by Elina Svitolina in a closely contested match, where Svitolina triumphed 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.
Alcaraz, the reigning Australian Open champion, extended his perfect record to 16-0 this year, displaying a strong performance against Norrie. Despite facing an early setback, where he fell behind 0-2 in the second set, Alcaraz quickly regained his composure.
“It was really difficult; I struggled with Cameron’s style,” Alcaraz said. “He has super top-spin on his forehand, and his backhands are flat, which makes it tricky to play against him. I played solid and aggressive when I could, and I’m happy to be at this level.”
Medvedev, seeded 11th, showcased a powerful game against Draper, who had recently shocked the tennis world by defeating Novak Djokovic. Medvedev capitalized on a controversial hindrance call during the match that awarded him a crucial point, raising eyebrows in the crowd.
Draper expressed his disbelief about the call, which involved a raised arm during a rally. Despite the situation, Medvedev maintained his focus. “Was I distracted big time? No. Do I feel good about it? Not really. But I also don’t feel like I cheated,” he said.
In the other semifinal matchup, fourth seed Alexander Zverev overcame France’s Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-3, marking his first appearance in the semifinals at Indian Wells. Zverev is set to meet world number two Jannik Sinner, who easily progressed by defeating American Learner Tien 6-1, 6-2.
In the women’s competition, Svitolina’s victory over Swiatek marked a notable achievement, as she returned to the semifinals for the first time in seven years. Svitolina took advantage of Swiatek’s five double faults and secured early breaks in the opening set. Although Swiatek rebounded in the second set to force a decider, Svitolina regained control in the third to clinch the match.
Sabalenka faced a challenging match against Mboko, navigating a first-set tiebreak that she won convincingly. She managed to maintain her lead in the second set as well, despite Mboko’s efforts.
“She’s a future Grand Slam champion,” Sabalenka said of her opponent, noting the courage displayed by younger players in the tournament.
Sabalenka will next face Czech player Linda Noskova, who ended the impressive run of Australian qualifier Talia Gibson with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 victory.
Elena Rybakina, the Australian Open champion, advanced after a 6-1, 7-6(4) win over Jessica Pegula, setting up a semifinal encounter with Svitolina. Rybakina’s victory also guarantees that she will rise to a career-high ranking of world number two when the WTA rankings are updated on Monday.
