Carlos Alcaraz entered Indian Wells with doubts lingering over his twisted right ankle. However, he departs as a two-time champion after defeating Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (5), 6-1 in the BNP Paribas Open final on Sunday, marking his first title since claiming Wimbledon last year.
Meanwhile, Iga Świątek secured the women’s title by triumphing over Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-0 in just over an hour. Swiatek’s dominance throughout the 12-day tournament was evident, conceding only 21 games in six matches, averaging a mere 3.5 games per match.
Alcaraz’s ankle sprain, sustained at the Rio Open in late February, initially raised concerns. His initial 30-minute practice at Indian Wells saw minimal movement. Reflecting on his struggles during a Tennis Channel interview, Alcaraz admitted that his first practice session with fellow professionals was particularly challenging.
Despite facing adversity, Alcaraz persevered, clinching a three-set semifinal victory against Jannik Sinner after a tough second-round match. Each match brought him renewed confidence, culminating in another Master 1000 title, a significant achievement that fuels his motivation to continue excelling.
In a historic feat, Alcaraz became the first man since Novak Djokovic’s reign from 2014-2016 to defend his Indian Wells title.
Last year, he defeated Medvedev 6-3, 6-2 in the Southern California desert, prompting Medvedev’s jest during the victory ceremony: “It’s definitely your court, you like it here. Hopefully, you can one day let me play a little bit better here.”
Despite trailing 3-0 in the first set with eight unforced errors, Alcaraz staged a remarkable comeback to level the score at 3-3. The set remained fiercely contested, with Alcaraz ultimately prevailing in a tiebreaker. In the second set, he secured the only two breaks while Medvedev struggled with errors.
Alcaraz recorded 25 winners and 26 unforced errors, while Medvedev managed 11 winners and 23 unforced errors throughout the match. Swiatek’s victory mirrored her previous success in the 2022 final against Sakkari, maintaining her dominance over the Greek player since 2021.
Swiatek surged to a 3-0 lead in the opening set, before Sakkari mounted a brief comeback, leveling the score at 4-4. However, Swiatek’s resilience shone through as she claimed the set with a forehand winner. The Polish star maintained her momentum in the second set, breaking Sakkari three times without conceding a single point in those games.
In a rewarding conclusion, both Alcaraz and Swiatek earned $1.1 million each for their victories, slightly less than the champions’ prize money in 2023 due to a redistribution of prize money to earlier rounds.
