Medvedev Ends Alcaraz’s Indian Wells Title Defense, Faces Sinner in Final

Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev defeated world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets to end the Spaniard's quest for a third straight Indian Wells championship. Medvedev will face Italy's Jannik Sinner in the final after Sinner dominated Alexander Zverev without dropping a set.

INDIAN WELLS, California – World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz saw his hopes of capturing a third straight Indian Wells championship come to an end Thursday as Daniil Medvedev delivered a commanding performance, defeating the Spanish star 6-3, 7-6(3) in the semifinals.

The victory sets up a championship showdown between Medvedev and Italy’s Jannik Sinner, who dominated Alexander Zverev 6-2, 6-4 in the other semifinal match. Sinner’s impressive display included eight aces and 18 winners while making only 13 unforced errors – eight fewer than his German opponent.

The second-ranked Sinner controlled the net effectively, winning seven of eight points there, and continued his recent dominance over Zverev with a sixth straight victory. Despite Zverev taking an early advantage in the first set, Sinner responded with two breaks to capture the opener, then secured another crucial break at 4-3 in the second set to close out the match.

The 24-year-old Italian has maintained perfect form throughout the tournament, advancing to the final without losing a single set – a streak that highlights his mastery on hard court surfaces.

In his semifinal battle, Medvedev executed a tactical approach against Alcaraz, securing an early break to establish a 3-1 advantage in the first set and maintaining that edge to take the opener.

The second set delivered much more drama as Alcaraz elevated his play, breaking the Russian’s serve to build a 3-1 lead. However, the 30-year-old Medvedev showed his resilience, capitalizing on several unforced errors from the Spaniard to even the score at 3-3.

Both players exchanged powerful shots in an entertaining battle that eventually required a tiebreaker, where Medvedev proved decisive in securing his spot in Sunday’s final.