Carlos Alcaraz, the Spanish tennis sensation, is turning heads at the Indian Wells tournament with his stunning performance. Even the bold decision by the tournament authorities to switch the surface after spanning over two decades did not deter Alcaraz’s progress. He cruised into the semifinals without dropping a set, showcasing his adaptability and prowess.
Alcaraz, a former world No.1, is eyeing a hat-trick triumph at this tournament, a feat previously achieved only by tennis legends Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. His quarterfinal match against Francisco Cerundolo was a test of his mettle. The Argentine competitor thrived in the slower conditions and managed to put Alcaraz under pressure. However, the Spanish maestro, a four-time Grand Slam champion, held his ground in the crucial moments, dodging potential upsets.
The 21-year-old prodigy hailing from Murcia now faces a formidable challenger in the semifinals – Jack Draper. The British player has shown significant improvements of late, making him a tough opponent. Rising through the ranks, Draper made it to the semifinals at the 2024 US Open and kickstarted 2025 on a strong note despite an injury setback during the preseason.
Interestingly, Draper has a victory to his name against Alcaraz at the Queen’s Club last year. However, their most recent encounter during the 2025 Australian Open saw the Briton retiring due to poor health, providing no real competition for Alcaraz.
Esteemed analyst Benoit Maylin, in the latest episode of the show ‘Sans Filet’, projected Alcaraz as the player to watch out for in the run-up to Roland Garros. Maylin suggests that Alcaraz thrives in slower conditions with high rebounds, a style that complements his game.
Drawing comparisons between the surface of Indian Wells and red clay, Maylin pointed out that the ball bounce at the former is even higher than some red clay tournaments. This, he believes, could pave the way for Alcaraz to conquer not only Indian Wells but also Miami, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, and Paris, despite the ball bounce being less in the latter tournaments. In doing so, Alcaraz could possibly follow in the footsteps of his fellow countryman and tennis icon, Rafael Nadal.