In thrilling semifinals, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Russian fourth seed Daniil Medvedev secured hard-fought victories to set up a rematch of last year’s Indian Wells final.
Alcaraz rallied from behind to defeat Jannik Sinner 1-6, 6-3, 6-2, showcasing resilience and determination after dropping the opening set. Meanwhile, Medvedev battled past American Tommy Paul with a 1-6, 7-6(3), 6-2 triumph in a closely contested match.
Sinner, the Australian Open champion and a dominant force on the tour, initially dominated, taking the first set convincingly. However, Alcaraz fought back valiantly, breaking serve to seize control of the second set and ultimately force a decider.
In a tense third set, Sinner displayed incredible athleticism, diving to keep a crucial ball in play, but Alcaraz’s dynamic play earned him a decisive break. The Spaniard capitalized on Sinner’s errors to secure a double break and seal the victory, denying Sinner the opportunity to claim the world number two ranking and end his impressive 20-match winning streak.