Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz has once again reached the final of the Tennis Masters tournament in Indian Wells and inflicted the first defeat of the year on Australian Open winner Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz won the semifinals 1:6, 6:3, 6:2. After the bee swarm interruption in the quarterfinals against Alexander Zverev, the Spaniard had to cope with a three-hour rain break in the semifinals.
Sinner, who started the year with 16 wins in a row, was 2-1 ahead at the time and dominated the first set after the break. But Alcaraz then changed his tactics and his return position and went to the net more often. After 2:05 hours, the 20-year-old Spaniard finally won the exchange of blows against the 22-year-old South Tyrolean.
Like last year, Alcaraz will face Daniil Medvedev in the final. The 28-year-old Russian also prevailed in his semi-final in three sets with 1:6, 7:6 (7:3), 6:2 against Tommy Paul (26) from the USA. Paul was 3-2 ahead in the tiebreak of the second set, but then lost five points in a row after he twisted his ankle. After a break and treatment on his ankle, the American appeared injured in the third set, but Medvedev won confidently in the end.
For the women, there will also be a repeat of an earlier Indian Wells final on Sunday. Like two years ago, world number one Iga Swiatek from Poland meets Maria Sakkari from Greece.
