Alcaraz Anticipates Challenging Match Against Draper at Indian Wells Semifinals
Alcaraz anticipates a challenging matchup against Draper in the semifinals at Indian Wells.
TroibNews 
Carlos Alcaraz, a two-time defending champion, is preparing for a challenging semifinal against "ambitious" British lefty Jack Draper on Saturday as he strives for a rare three-peat at the Indian Wells ATP Masters.
Currently ranked world number three, the Spanish player aims to join the ranks of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as the only men to secure three consecutive titles in the California desert.
Despite his 3-1 record against Draper, Alcaraz is not underestimating the world number 14. "I think he has a lot of rhythm, a lot of pace, great shots," he stated. "I think his style of play suits pretty well to these conditions."
Alcaraz also noted, "It seems he's in really good shape right now. I think he's ambitious, and he always go for it. So that makes him a really tough opponent."
Two of Draper's losses to Alcaraz have occurred due to retirement, including at Indian Wells in 2023 and during the fourth round of the Australian Open this year, where Draper had previously won three consecutive five-set matches before facing Alcaraz in the round of 16.
In the other semifinal, Daniil Medvedev is also aiming for a third consecutive final, having faced defeat against Alcaraz in both of the last two years.
The 29-year-old Russian, a six-time Grand Slam finalist, celebrated his quarterfinal victory over 20-year-old Arthur Fils with a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 scoreline, setting up a clash with Denmark's Holger Rune, another young talent. Medvedev has triumphed in two of their three previous meetings, including a quarter-final victory at Indian Wells last year.
On the women’s side, top seed Aryna Sabalenka secured a 6-2, 6-3 win against Liudmila Samsonova, setting the stage for a matchup with Madison Keys, who defeated former world number four Belinda Bencic 6-1, 6-1.
Like in her earlier match, Sabalenka initially faced a quick break but responded by winning the next nine games to take a commanding 6-2, 3-1 lead. Although Samsonova managed to break back and equalize the second set at 3-3, Sabalenka quickly regained control, winning another three games and finishing the match with a backhand passing winner on her first match point.
Keys, fresh off a tough three-set battle against Donna Vekic, delivered a powerful performance with 30 winners, overpowering Bencic in just 64 minutes. She is currently on a 16-match winning streak as she aims to become the first American woman to win the title in the California desert since Serena Williams in 2001.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
Currently ranked world number three, the Spanish player aims to join the ranks of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as the only men to secure three consecutive titles in the California desert.
Despite his 3-1 record against Draper, Alcaraz is not underestimating the world number 14. "I think he has a lot of rhythm, a lot of pace, great shots," he stated. "I think his style of play suits pretty well to these conditions."
Alcaraz also noted, "It seems he's in really good shape right now. I think he's ambitious, and he always go for it. So that makes him a really tough opponent."
Two of Draper's losses to Alcaraz have occurred due to retirement, including at Indian Wells in 2023 and during the fourth round of the Australian Open this year, where Draper had previously won three consecutive five-set matches before facing Alcaraz in the round of 16.
In the other semifinal, Daniil Medvedev is also aiming for a third consecutive final, having faced defeat against Alcaraz in both of the last two years.
The 29-year-old Russian, a six-time Grand Slam finalist, celebrated his quarterfinal victory over 20-year-old Arthur Fils with a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 scoreline, setting up a clash with Denmark's Holger Rune, another young talent. Medvedev has triumphed in two of their three previous meetings, including a quarter-final victory at Indian Wells last year.
On the women’s side, top seed Aryna Sabalenka secured a 6-2, 6-3 win against Liudmila Samsonova, setting the stage for a matchup with Madison Keys, who defeated former world number four Belinda Bencic 6-1, 6-1.
Like in her earlier match, Sabalenka initially faced a quick break but responded by winning the next nine games to take a commanding 6-2, 3-1 lead. Although Samsonova managed to break back and equalize the second set at 3-3, Sabalenka quickly regained control, winning another three games and finishing the match with a backhand passing winner on her first match point.
Keys, fresh off a tough three-set battle against Donna Vekic, delivered a powerful performance with 30 winners, overpowering Bencic in just 64 minutes. She is currently on a 16-match winning streak as she aims to become the first American woman to win the title in the California desert since Serena Williams in 2001.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
