Alcaraz beat Medvedev to repeat as Indian Wells champion

INDIAN WELLS:

World number two Carlos Alcaraz cruised to a 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 victory over Daniil Medvedev on Sunday to claim a second consecutive Indian Wells ATP title, both at the expense of the Russian .

Alcaraz won his first title since Wimbledon last July and became the first repeat winner at Indian Wells since Novak Djokovic won three straight titles from 2014-16.

For the 20-year-old Spaniard, 12 days in the California desert proved what he needed after a stuttering start to the season that included a quarter-final exit at the Australian Open and an ankle injury that forced him out of his opener. race in Rio de Janeiro in February.

“A lot of doubt for me,” he said of his mindset coming amid his longest title drought since breaking out for his first Grand Slam title at the 2022 US Open.

For Alcaraz, however, it wasn’t just about ending the drought, but discovering his joy in the game.

It means a lot to me, to lift this trophy, to win this tournament, because I’m overcoming a lot of problems in my head, a lot of problems physically,” he said.

“Not that I haven’t won a tournament since Wimbledon. For me, it doesn’t matter, it’s the feelings… It’s enjoying tennis, when I step on the court, I put my game on. That’s the only thing that matters.

“That’s why I’m very, very happy to lift this trophy, because I was in this tournament.”

As he did last year, Alcaraz denied Medvedev’s bid to capture the only one of his six ATP Masters 1000 hard-court titles that he has yet to win.

More importantly, after a week in which he ended Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner’s 19-match winning streak, Alcaraz looked forward with renewed confidence to next week’s hard-court tournament in Miami and beyond.

“Obviously, winning tournaments helps a lot in the next one,” said Alcaraz, whose tournament included not only a semi-final win over the red-hot Sinner, but also a brush with a swarm of bees in his quarter-final win over Alexander Zverev. — the man who kicked him out in Melbourne.

“Obviously, to win a Masters 1000 again — it’s a really tough tournament to win — it gives you extra motivation to keep going, plus, extra confidence for Miami right now and going forward,” said Alcaraz, the who joined compatriot Rafael Nadal. the only players to win five Masters 1000 titles before turning 21.

World number four Medvedev, who has ruled out an ankle injury in their 2023 title clash, got off to a flying start in this one, serving for a 3-0 lead in the first set.

But Alcaraz produced an incredible shot to break Medvedev in the fifth game and from there they dueled in the tiebreak with entertaining rallies peppered with drop shots, volleys and lobs.

Alcaraz had the fans off their seats in a rally when he started to let a lob pass but, seeing it was heading in, managed to get to the spot and save the spot.

“I’m trying to make those kinds of points,” Alcaraz said. “It gives me extra motivation.”

Trailing 5-2 in the tiebreak, Australian Open runner-up Medvedev clawed back to 5-5, but Alcaraz won the set when the Russian served a forehand and was in complete control from there.

“He managed in the first set in a moment to raise his level,” Medvedev said. “I managed to be there and try to catch his level, but I was a little bit down.

“In the end, that down went down, down, down, and up, up, up.

“So the result is a fair result for the match it was. But I’m happy,” Medvedev added. “The last time I made it (reach the final at Indian Wells) I won Miami — so that’s what I’m going to try to do.”