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The prodigiously talented World No. 2 and 3 battle at the BNP Paribas Open semi-final this weekend in a rematch of last year’s encounter, seeing the pair set new records.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner battle on Saturday in a narrative-laden encounter at the 2024 BNP Paribas Open semi-final.
Alcaraz defeats Zverev, sets up Sinner tussle at Indian Wells
The two-time Grand Slam champion dispatched Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-1 in under 90 minutes, ending a two-match losing run against the German, who triumphed at last year’s Nitto ATP Finals and defeated the prodigiously talented Spaniard in four sets at the Australian Open in January.
Thursday’s eventual 89-minute encounter was delayed for one hour and 48 minutes because of a "bee invasion" that sent the players off the court for nearly two hours. Undaunted by the delay, Alcaraz defeated Zverev without facing a break point in the match, and the 20-year-old player goes into Saturday’s encounter keen to record back-to-back wins over an in-form Sinner in the rematch of last year’s semi-final.
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Jannik Sinner continues winning 2024 streak at Indian Wells
The 22-year-old Italian, who won the first major of 2024 Down Under, spent five fewer minutes than Alcaraz on court to defeat erratic Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-3 in 84 minutes. Sinner is yet to drop a set at Indian Wells, but the dominant storyline has been the continuation of a winning start to the season.
His latest success was the 16th consecutive win since the start of 2024 — 19 altogether if his final three matches are considered — and he could surpass Roger Federer’s impressive start to the 2006 season in which the Swiss icon’s 16-match run was halted by Rafael Nadal at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The Italian seeks his second Masters 1000 title to follow last year’s win at the Canadian Open.
Alcaraz and Sinner to make history at Indian Wells
Both players battling on Saturday will mark the first time two U23 players meet in consecutive semi-finals at a single ATP Masters 1000 event since the format's inception in 1990.
The match is laden with sub-plots, with Sinner guaranteed to supplant Alcaraz in the ATP Rankings if he extends his winning start to 2024 to 17. The encounter is effectively a tussle for the World No. 2 spot in the Rankings, as Alcaraz aims to become the first man since Novak Djokovic to retain the Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells since the Serbian won three in a row in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
A win for Alcaraz would be his fifth Masters 1000 success, having claimed back-to-back titles in Madrid, the 2022 event in Miami and last year's feat at Indian Wells.
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