“You need to be at your best against Carlos”: Daniil Medvedev ends Alcaraz’s unbeaten start at Indian Wells

Daniil Medvedev ended Carlos Alcaraz’s unbeaten start to the 2026 season on Saturday, defeating the world No. 1 6–3, 7–6(3) in the semi-finals of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. The victory halted the Spaniard’s 16-match winning streak and secured Medvedev a return to an ATP Masters 1000 final for the first time since reaching the championship match at the same tournament in 2024.

The 30-year-old produced one of his most complete performances of the season, combining aggressive baseline play with consistent serving under pressure. According to Infosys ATP Stats, Medvedev won 74 per cent of his second-serve points and saved four of the five break points he faced during the one-hour-and-37-minute contest.

The result continues an impressive run of form for the former world No. 1. Medvedev has now won 18 consecutive sets dating back to the start of his title run at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships earlier this season, where he claimed his second trophy of 2026 following his triumph in Brisbane.

Speaking after the match, Medvedev admitted the victory carried special significance given Alcaraz’s level and the Spaniard’s dominant start to the season. “Honestly, it’s a great feeling. Someone like Carlos, you play many times and you lose many times. He’s an amazing player with amazing shots, defence, attack, serve, return—everything. So you need to be at your best. And I was.”

Medvedev controlled much of the semi-final through a more aggressive style than he has sometimes employed against Alcaraz in previous encounters. The Russian consistently looked to dictate rallies when opportunities appeared, particularly on serve and in key moments late in the second set.

The Spaniard briefly threatened a comeback when Medvedev fell behind an early break in the second set. However, the Russian responded with strong serving and precise shotmaking, saving two set points at 4–5 before forcing errors from Alcaraz to regain momentum.

The ability to manage those pressure moments proved decisive as Medvedev maintained composure and pushed the set into a tie-break before closing out the straight-sets victory. “I was serving great, I saved one or two set points and one or two break points the game before. I was hanging in in the second set as I could, but playing great tennis, and super happy to beat someone as strong as him.”

Beyond the immediate tactical battle, Medvedev also reflected on what it means to defeat players such as Alcaraz, noting that victories against the very top competitors often come only when everything aligns in a single match. “When you face someone like Carlos, Jannik or Novak, the ranking almost doesn’t matter. It’s already great to face them, and even better if you manage to beat them.”

Medvedev’s reward for defeating Alcaraz is a championship match against Jannik Sinner, who earlier beat Alexander Zverev 6–2, 6–4 in the first semi-final. The final will mark the first meeting between the two players since 2024, with Sinner holding an 8–7 lead in their ATP Head2Head series.

Both players arrive in the final without dropping a set during the tournament. Medvedev’s winning streak of 18 consecutive sets, carried over from Dubai, underlines the level of consistency he has found during the early months of the season.

The Russian acknowledged that defeating both Alcaraz and Sinner in the same tournament is often required to win the biggest titles in the current ATP landscape. “Whenever you play a tournament where both are playing, there’s a big chance that if you want to win the tournament you need to beat both, and it’s okay. That’s how tennis is right now.”

Despite Sinner’s recent success in their rivalry — including victories in their last three meetings — Medvedev said his focus remains on maintaining the level he has shown throughout the tournament. “If I manage to maintain the level I had throughout the tournament and maybe even raise it, I’ll have my chances. That’s what I’ll try to do.”