Indian Wells: Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz through to final
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Daniil Medvedev is chasing his fifth Masters 1,000 crown
Daniil Medvedev needed eight match points to beat Frances Tiafoe and reach the Indian Wells final for the first time.
Russia’s world number six Medvedev held a late rally to defeat the American 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) in California for a 19th straight win.
Medvedev meets 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in the final on Sunday, who beat Italian Jannik Sinner 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.
The Spaniard Alcaraz returns to the world number one by winning the title.
Medvedev arrived in Indian Wells in fine form after winning back-to-back ATP titles in Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai.
It wasn’t until the 11th game of the first set that Medvedev scored the crucial break of serve despite playing tirelessly from the baseline.
He broke in the opening game, but after a spirited Tiafoe, he saved three match points and Medvedev was broken twice while serving for the match.
World No. 16 Tiafoe fought back from 5-1 in the tiebreak to 5-4 but Medvedev crawled over the line and served out the win with an ace.
“In the end it was crazy,” said the former world number one. “I got super tight.
“The ace was a relief. I’m just happy that I managed not to lose this match.”
If Medvedev beats Alcaraz, he will become the first man to win four titles in five weeks since Britain’s Andy Murray in 2016.
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Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest men’s world number one when he won the US Open in September aged 19 years and four months
Alcaraz, who has now reached three finals in 2023, led 5-3 in the first set before Sinner won three games in a row.
Alcaraz saved a set point in the following game before forcing a tie-break and went through the second set to seal the win in an hour and 52 minutes.
“I don’t think about being the favorite in every match,” said Alcaraz, who will start defending his Miami Open title next week.
“I know if I win tomorrow I’ll be number one. I’ll try not to think about it. I have to do everything perfectly.”
Britain’s Neal Skupski and Dutchman Wesley Koolhof were beaten 6-3, 2-6, 10-8 in the men’s doubles final by Australia’s Matthew Ebden and India’s Rohan Bopanna, who at 43 is the oldest player to win an ATP -Masters 1,000 titles.
In women’s doubles, top seeds Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic beat Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil and Germany’s Laura Siegemund 6-1, 6-7 (3-7), 10-7 to take their 15th place. Double titles in her career.