The Spanish
Carlos Alcaraz
gave another example that being number two in the world does not weigh on him and he will also face the challenge of once again dethroning the Serbian
Novak Djokovic
at the top of the ranking.
This Sunday he defeated the Russian
Daniil Medvedev
, fourth in the ranking, 7-6 (7-5) and 6-1 in one hour and 42 minutes, and lifted the trophy in
Indian Wells
.
Thus he became the first two-time consecutive champion of the first Masters 1000 of the season since Djokovic chained three titles in a row between 2014 and 2016.
The 20-year-old from Murcia appeared in his splendor when he could have lost number two: in the semifinal he beat the Italian
Jannik Sinner
, who was undefeated and if he had won he would have replaced Alcaraz in second place in the ranking.
That temperament works in his favor in key moments.
Carlos Alcaraz, champion in Indian Wells. Photo AFP
Finalist in January of the
Australian Open
that Sinner won, Medvedev, 28, could not win the only Masters 1000 that he lacks on cement, after his triumphs in Miami 2023, Canada 2021, Paris 2020, Cincinnati 2019 and Shanghai 2019.
In Indian Wells, Alcaraz and Medvedev played the sixth meeting of their careers and the record now stood at 4-2 for the younger one.
The Russian won the first in the second round of Wimbledon 2021 in three sets and the Spaniard took revenge with victories in the final of the Masters 1000 in Paris 2023 and in the semifinal of Wimbledon 2023, in three sets.
Medvedev tied it at 2-2 with his victory in last year's US Open semifinal, in four sets.
And the Murcian lost the double 6-4 in the group stage of the ATP Finals.