M 1000 INDIAN WELLS
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-2 on Sunday to win the BNP Paribas Open title and regain the world’s No. 1 ranking.
The 19-year-old Spaniard will move from second to first in the ATP Tour rankings Monday, displacing Novak Djokovic.
He had also won the pair’s only previous meeting – at Wimbledon in 2021 – but the 27-year-old had no answer to his teenage opponent’s patient but aggressive game plan in windy conditions.
Alcaraz hit 18 winners to Medvedev’s five, repeatedly exploiting his opponent’s deep position with a string of drop shots.
He clinched his third ATP Masters 1000 title – joining compatriot Rafael Nadal as the only men to reach that mark as a teenager – without facing a break point.
«It feels amazing to lift the trophy here, to recover the No. 1 [ranking]… I would say this has been the perfect tournament,» he reflected, as per atptour.com.
«It was good for me, [at] this tournament that I really wanted to win, and for me, it’s amazing¨
«I have no doubts about my shots. I feel really comfortable on court. I really trust in every shot that I hit. Of course, that’s why I’m playing a great level, because if I miss, I don’t mind. I don’t care about the miss. I’m just trying to hit 100 percent in every shot and having no doubts about the shot.»
Djokovic withdrew from Indian Wells before the tournament began when he couldn’t gain entry to the U.S. because he’s unvaccinated for COVID-19.
