The Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz, number one in the world, He was on the verge of his third final at the Indian Wells Masters 1,000after being eliminated this Saturday in the semifinals by the Russian Daniil Medvedev (n.11). Medvedev defeated Alcaraz, who also lost his undefeated record in 2026, 6-3 and 7-6(3) in 1 hour and 37 minutes.
The Russian had not been able to beat the Murcian since the semifinal of the 2023 United States Open, where he also shone at a superb level. Alcaraz had won the next four duels, including the Indian Wells final in 2024.
Medvedev will face Jannik Sinner (n.2) in the final this Sundaythus preventing the Italian and Alcaraz from facing each other for the first time in 2026.
Alcaraz loses the undefeated
The Spaniard never felt comfortable on the scorching Indian Wells track. Medvedev soon put him in trouble and, in the second game with Alcaraz serving, he already scored his first break for 3-1.
Alcaraz lost the shoe in his next game with 0-30, in a moment of crisis in which he could not find answers to Medvedev, who had everything going for him. Alcaraz ended up saving the game, but the Russian took that first set 6-3.
Medvedev, an irregular player capable of the best and the worst, today showed tennis at the level that led him to win the crown in New York in 2021 against Novak Djokovic or to reach that same final in 2023, avenged by the Serbian.
To his solid and already well-known defensive game, in Indian Wells he added aggressiveness, with deep blows and even responding to Alcaraz’s impossible volleys.
It was not a flash in the pan, this 2026 the Russian had just won the Brisbane and Dubai 500.
Medvedev resists Alcaraz’s attempt
After not having a single break ball in the first set, Alcaraz broke Medvedev’s serve early in the second set, a game in which it was 3-1 and on serve. But the Russian did not let him consolidate it. He got 15-40 and took advantage of the first break ball to tie the match.
The heat took its toll on Alcaraz, who looked exhausted, gasping for air. At 4-4 and 40-40, he received a warning from the chair umpire for exceeding the 25 seconds allowed to serve. The Murcian needed a break.
He won his game to make it 5-4 and had, in the rest, two set points that Medvedev saved. The Murcian and the Russian ended up in a tie-break that was going to decide the fate of the match.
Medvedev, much better in the tie-break
In that tiebreaker, Medvedev moved up 4-1 after winning two points in a row against Alcaraz. The Russian extended his advantage to 6-1 with his service turns, with five match points in his pocket.
The Spaniard saved the first two, but Medvedev closed the duel with a devastating ace in the first one he had on serve.
After conquering Indian Wells in 2023 and 2024 -both finals against Medvedev-, Alcaraz falls again in the semifinals in the Californian desertas happened last year, then against the British Jack Draper.
The Murcian will now cross the country from coast to coast to play next week in the Miami Open, the tournament that in 2022 gave him the first Masters 1,000 of his career.
