Indian Wells: Alcaraz’s dismantling of Medvedev validates sensation’s stratospheric talent

At the end of it all, you probably felt the partisan support got to Danil Medvedev. Even for the typically expressive Russian, the spat with a supporter as Carlos Alcaraz closed in on back-to-back triumphs at the BNP Paribas Open was noteworthy. It was an unflattering incident before Alcaraz claimed a 7-6(5), 6-1 win.

How had what looked to be a close encounter slipped out of reach? The world No. 4 raced into a 3-0 lead in the first set that felt all too familiar for anyone of an Alcaraz persuasion.

Despite his undoubted talent, the two-time Grand Slam winner is still prone to the odd collapse, in which he lacks the required focus or mental strength to overcome adversity. Not this time.

Rather than mope, Alcaraz’s response was to claim the next three games and hold off Medvedev for the remainder of his service games. Having been broken in his first service game of the opening set, the 20-year-old’s shot-making and execution typified what ensued.

Alcaraz disclosed that his improved mentality helped him respond in the semi-final win over Jannik Sinner, ending the Italian’s 19-0 streak and unblemished 16-0 start in 2024.

The prodigiously talented Spaniard could not respond post-rain delay as Sinner breezed through the opening set 6-1. But his reaction to that setback was commendable in the straight shoot-out for the No.2 ranking with the 2024 Australian Open champion, eventually triumphing in three sets.

This time, the sluggish start was not extended. In an opening set that ebbed and flowed, Alcaraz did well to stay focused even when Medvedev did not surrender another service game in the lead-up to the tie-break.

The youngster’s execution in the big moments was near perfect.

What followed afterwards was the youngster possibly in his element, as Medvedev faded in resignation. The Russian hit 10 winners to Alcaraz’s 15 in the opening set but managed only one in set two to the 20-year-old’s eight.

It ultimately was a procession for the player, who claimed his first title since last year’s Wimbledon.

Sunday’s win was Alcaraz’s 13th ATP title and a fifth Masters 1000 trophy. He became the first player since Novak Djokovic in 2016 to retain the Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells, and he has won back-to-back top events in the ATP calendar at Madrid and the BNP Paribas Open — both tournaments played on different surfaces — before his 21st birthday.

Beating Medvedev in consecutive years makes Alcaraz the second player after Boris Becker (1987 and 1988) to win and retain at Indian Wells before turning 21. According to Opta, only Djokovic (31.3%) and Rafael Nadal (28.1%) have a higher win rate at Masters 1000 events than Alcaraz, whose five triumphs have come from 21 events — a 23.8% success rate.

Still only 20, with a whole lot more to add to his game and room to tighten his mental improvement, Alcaraz’s potential is stratospheric.

“Winning this tournament means a lot to me because the week before it began, I had a lot of doubts about my ankle,” Alcaraz said in his on-court interview after Sunday’s win. “I remember my first practice here was just 30 minutes with no movement and probably the first practice with really good tennis players was really tough for me, because I thought I was not going to play my best.

“I was not feeling well with my ankle, so a lot of doubts for me. But once I stepped on the court, the first round, I started to feel better.”

Up next is Miami, where he not only goes into as the No. 1 seed but the top seed with the momentum of retaining his Indian Wells title. With Djokovic pulling out and Sinner’s participation uncertain, Medvedev, the defending champion in Florida, could be Alcaraz’s major obstacle en route to a sixth Masters 1000 triumph.

“Obviously winning tournaments helps a lot coming to the next ones,” Alcaraz said. “Obviously winning a Masters 1000 again gives you extra motivation to keep going, extra confidence for Miami right now and for what's next.”

What comes next for Alcaraz is an attempt to win in Miami for the second time. For the time being, the sport's latest Spanish sensation should soak in the pleasure of winning again as records continue to tumble for this quite impressive tennis talent.