Daniil MEDVEDEV edges past Tommy PAUL to book second consecutive Indian Wells Final

Daniil Medvedev (No. 4) defeated the local Tommy Paul (No. 17) 1-6, 7-6(3), 6-2 to advance to the Indian Wells final for the second consecutive year. The Russian tennis player overcame a challenging first set where his opponent displayed an incredible level of tennis but managed to regroup in the latter part of the match, setting up a rematch of the 2023 final against Carlos Alcaraz.

The former world No. 1 is in his 10th Masters 1000 final, having won the title six times and finishing as runner-up four times, including the 2023 edition of Indian Wells. Medvedev has the opportunity to win the only Masters title missing from his collection on hardcourt, a feat previously achieved only by Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic.

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The first set was completely dominated by Paul, who constantly approached the net to finish points quickly and prevented Medvedev, on an erratic day, from finding his rhythm from the baseline. The match began with two consecutive breaks by the American at an extraordinary level, taking a 4-0 lead.

Medvedev managed to recover one break, but then Paul did not give him any chances and won his third consecutive break, although he faced difficulties in the final game on his serve, ultimately winning the set on his fifth set point. Paul approached the net 15 times and won 8 points from there, also being precise with 12 winners and 2 unforced errors compared to 5 winners and 6 unforced errors from the Russian.

The start of the second set saw a turnaround as the 2021 US Open champion also secured two consecutive breaks to lead 4-0. Nevertheless, Paul did not falter and after holding his serve a couple of times, he broke back when Medvedev was serving and leading 5-4.

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In the 12th game, Medvedev had two set points on return, but the American managed to save them, forcing the set into a tie-break. Although Paul had a mini-break advantage, the former world No. 1 won five consecutive points to level the score at 7-6(3). During an incredible rally, Paul twisted his ankle, requiring medical attention and receiving a bandage on his foot during the changeover.

The American did not seem to have any physical problems in the third set, but Medvedev was superior from start to finish, securing a break in the first game and maintaining the lead thereafter. A second break in the fifth game was enough for him to eventually close out the match 1-6, 7-6(3), 6-2.

Medvedev will be aiming for his 7th Masters 1000 title and the last one missing on hardcourt. It won't be easy against Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion, who enters the final with confidence after defeating Jannik Sinner in the semifinals. So far, the head-to-head record is 3-2 in favor of the Spanish player, including his victory in last year's Indian Wells final.

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