INDIAN WELLS, United States, 15 March 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Reigning two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz is preparing for a challenging semi-final encounter against Britain’s Jack Draper on Saturday, as he continues his quest for an Indian Wells ATP Masters three-peat.
The world number three from Spain aims to etch his name alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as the only men to win three consecutive titles in the California desert. However, despite holding a 3-1 head-to-head advantage over Draper, Alcaraz is not underestimating his opponent.
“I think he has a lot of rhythm, a lot of pace, great shots,” said Alcaraz. “His style of play suits these conditions well. It seems he’s in really good shape right now. He’s ambitious and always goes for it, which makes him a really tough opponent.”
Draper’s losses to Alcaraz include two retirements—at Indian Wells in 2023 and during the Australian Open fourth round this year, where he had battled through three consecutive five-set matches before facing the Spaniard.
Reflecting on their past encounters, Draper, ranked 14th in the world, remains eager to test himself once more. “I faced him here before, but I was a bit injured in that match. I’m looking forward to getting another shot,” said Draper, who reached the US Open semi-finals last year but struggled with hip tendinitis earlier this season.
“He brings so much to the court, especially in these conditions. He’s setting the benchmark really high, and that’s good for a player like me because I watch him, I play against him, and I think about what I need to do to reach his level.”
In the other semi-final, Russia’s Daniil Medvedev will be seeking to reach a third straight Indian Wells final, having fallen short against Alcaraz in the previous two editions.
The 29-year-old Russian, a six-time Grand Slam finalist, secured his place in the last four after a gruelling 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory over France’s Arthur Fils. He now faces another rising star, Holger Rune of Denmark, in what promises to be a fiercely contested match.
Medvedev has a 2-1 lead in their head-to-head encounters, including a quarter-final victory at Indian Wells last year. Speaking about Rune, Medvedev acknowledged the young Dane’s talent:
“His talent is really strong. He has probably every shot that you can have in tennis. He knows that sometimes he struggles with consistency at the start of tournaments, but when he reaches the later stages, he is a tough player to beat. I need to be at my best.”
Context for Readers:
- Carlos Alcaraz is aiming to become the third player in history to win three consecutive Indian Wells titles, following Roger Federer (2004-2006) and Novak Djokovic (2014-2016).
- Jack Draper is one of Britain’s rising tennis stars and reached his first Grand Slam semi-final at the 2024 US Open.
- Daniil Medvedev has been a dominant force on the ATP tour, winning the 2021 US Open and consistently reaching the latter stages of major tournaments.
- Holger Rune, despite struggling with form recently, remains a highly regarded talent after his breakthrough win over Djokovic at the 2022 Paris Masters.