The title and the throne for Alcaraz

Author of a match played more than perfect, Carlos Alcaraz returned to the stratosphere needing only 70 minutes to overcome Daniil Medvedev, thus lifting for the first time in his career the Indian Masters 1000 Wells.

The Spaniard outclassed the Russian 6-3, 6-2, doing a double blow in the Californian desert, since he dislodged from the throne of world number one the Serbian Novak Djokovic, prevented from entering American territory because not vaccinated against the Covid. He had occupied it for the first time in September 2022, after his major title at the US Open.

This title is the eighth of his career, in eleven finals disputed. The third in Masters 1000, category just below the Grand Slams. He is the youngest of now nine players to have achieved the “Sunshine Double”, which also consists of winning the Miami Open.

Winner in Florida last year, the prodigy from Murcia will have the opportunity to defend his title there, starting next weekend. And he will have to keep it if he wants to remain at the top of world tennis, according to the ATP projection.

“Winning like this obviously gives you great confidence. I hope to keep this level in Miami, ”commented Alcaraz, who did not lose a single set of the tournament. The last to do so well was Roger Federer in 2017.

Difficult conditions

Excelling in all areas, in service (76% of successful first serves), in exchanges (19 winning shots at 4) or on the fly (10/13 winning), he managed a show of force. And it wasn’t the wind, blowing quite hard though, that was going to slow down the Spanish tornado…

“Conditions were tough today. Daniil obviously didn’t play at his best, but I’m very happy with the way I played,” said Alcaraz.

Rarely have we seen Medvedev, who preceded him on the US Open list in 2021, but also on the world throne last year, so helpless on a court. Despite the absence of Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz “100% deserves to be world No. 1”, assured the 27-year-old Russian who, even beaten, earns a place at the ATP (5th). “Carlos has earned more points than any other player, in the last 52 weeks, and that’s how the rankings work,” he explained.

Succeeding the American Taylor Fritz on the list, Alcaraz inflicted on his rival, who remained on three titles in a row won in Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai, his first defeat in twenty matches.

meteor trajectory

The two players had only met once before, in the 2nd round of Wimbledon in 2021. And the Russian corrected it at the time. But since then, a lot has changed. Called to reign over world tennis in the years to come, the Spaniard is indeed on a meteoric trajectory.

Despite his disappointment, Medvedev was satisfied with his career in this tournament, which he castigates however the slowness of the surface. “I’m proud to have reached the final, because here it’s a clay court, on a hard court,” he said with a pinch of irony.

The fact is that he had never yet passed the 8th. Along the way, he notably overcame the pain of a twisted ankle, during the round of 16 win against the German Alexander Zverev, after more than three hours of intense struggle.

Medvedev did not seem physically diminished against Alcaraz, just exceeded.

The Spaniard had arrived in Indian Wells, after a victory in Buenos Aires and a final lost then in Rio de Janeiro, in relative uncertainty, due to a painful thigh. In January, an injury there forced him to forfeit the Australian Open.

It seems to be just a bad memory after all, because he ran and twirled, without apprehension or handbrake. A storm warning is already looming in Florida.

Source: AFP