Carlos Alcaraz lost to Daniil Medvedev in the semis at Indian Wells, in the second set, 6-3, 7-6 (3). This year, he hadn’t lost a match, but the Russian went so high, and he knocked him off. It happens,
Each year, the best players play well somedays and then cannot play well, or mediocre.
Alcaraz is very intense, and he mixes it up a lot, side to side. Yet the Spaniard was tired, and it was super hot, on the court, and he struggled at the end. In a sense, week after week, he can play awesome, but he also can win, when he can be more patient.
The same thing goes Medvedev, who can clap his huge forehand and his backhand, and he can rally. His serve is solid, or very good, but he is mediocre at the net. But he is enhancing, finally.
“I just have to give credit to Daniil. I think he just played an amazing match. He was playing unreal,” Alcaraz . “I have never seen, to be honest, playing Daniil like this. He was going to play aggressive, but how, the way he did it, surprised me a lot, because he didn’t miss any or he didn’t miss as much as I expected. So it was tricky.”
Alcaraz said that he was a little bit unfulfilled, but he was to learn in the practices. He also said that against him, they will have to beat him to stun him. That is the No. 1.
“I have been playing great tennis. I just show the players and show the people that if they want to beat me, they have to play at his best level one hour and a half, two hours in every match.”
Medvedev was thrilled going into the final, and he was darn close but Jannik Sinner climbed up, down 0-4 in the second set, and he jumped up as fast as he could, and he beat Medvedev 7-6 (6) 7-6 (4). Sinner never backed off. His first serve, his massive forehand and his backhand, and he striked.
“He’s a very unique style of playing. Seeing him back at this level, it’s great,” Sinner said. “He’s improving a lot. Very aggressive player at the end. He has two different game styles when he serves and when he returns. You have to face that. It’s great for the sport having him again playing this level.”
Sinner did say about going to Miami, this week, a ATP and WTA 1000, and to win it, again. Not many people have done that but Aryna Sabalenka, who just won IW, and he took it in Florida in 2025.
That was an incredible match, when Sabalenka edged Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3 7-6 (5) in the final in California. Rybakina had a match point, but at the net, right there, and she hit it long. Sabalenka can be disgruntled, but she thinks about, and change it. The No. 1 is so darn, good.
“I learned to be mentally strong no matter what. And even though I lost so many big ones and so many painful ones, I’m still able to go out there, and even when things are not going well, I’m able to stay focused and I’m able to just to fight for it,” Sabalenka said.
NOTES
Rybakina has played very well, but she can miss of few. In Miami, she reached the final in 2023 and 2024, and she lost, looking good, but then she missed a lot.
But not Serena Williams, who won it eight times. Wow…
How about Iga Swiatek, who won it 2022? She is a terrific player, and she won six Grand Slam,s but is she more thoughtful.