Carlos Alcaraz, the present two-time defending champion of Indian Wells, expressed his anticipation and excitement ahead of his semi-final showdown against the emerging star, Jack Draper. The clash marks a pivotal moment in the tournament, as Alcaraz continues his quest for a place in the history books.
The second-seeded Alcaraz and 13th-seeded Draper will compete in the men’s singles semi-finals following the match between the 12th seed Holger Rune and the fifth seed Daniil Medvedev. This is a crucial milestone for Draper, marking his first appearance in the semi-finals of a Masters 1000 level event.
Alcaraz, a native of Spain, holds a 3-1 lead in previous head-to-head encounters with Draper and is a probable favorite to win, given his impressive track record of just two losses in 22 matches at Indian Wells. However, it should be noted that two of Alcaraz’s wins against Draper were due to Draper’s retirement due to injuries during their matches at Indian Wells two years ago and at the Australian Open earlier this year.
The last face-off between the two at the 2022 Swiss Indoors resulted in a closely-fought victory for Alcaraz, while Draper enjoyed a straight-set win when they met at Queen’s Club last summer.
Acknowledging Draper’s recent rise in global rankings, Alcaraz, the world No. 3, envisions an ambitious and challenging opponent in the British player. Alcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam champion, praised Draper’s rhythm, pace, and aggressive shots that align perfectly with the playing conditions at Indian Wells.
Furthermore, Alcaraz is on a 16-match winning streak at Tennis Paradise, just three short of Novak Djokovic’s record of 19 consecutive wins at the tournament. He will need to overcome Draper to continue his pursuit of a landmark achievement that only Djokovic and Roger Federer have accomplished: winning three consecutive titles at Indian Wells. With victories in 2023 and 2024, Alcaraz could potentially match this feat with two more wins.
For Draper, the semi-final clash also holds significant implications. If he secures a victory, he is projected to break into the top-10 ATP Rankings for the first time, ascending to world No. 8. Furthermore, he would become the fifth British player to reach the Indian Wells final, joining the prestigious ranks of Greg Rusedski, Tim Henman, Andy Murray, and the 2021 champion, Cameron Norrie.
As the semi-final clash at Indian Wells looms, both Alcaraz and Draper have more than just a match to win. They are both poised on the brink of making tennis history, adding to the intrigue and excitement of the upcoming showdown.