Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz defeated Australian Open champion Janik Sinner 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the Indian Wells ATP Masters final on Saturday, beating the Italian 1-6, 6-3, 6-2. It was his first loss of 2024, returning to the Indian Wells ATP Masters final. The victory ended Sinner’s 19-match winning streak, which included a 16-0 start to the year, and ensured Alcaraz would remain at No. 2 in the world rankings next week. In Sunday’s final, he will face fourth-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev or American Tommy Paul, with a chance to become the third consecutive champion since Novak Djokovic from 2014-2016. The first player to defend his Indian Wells ATP title.

The match was interrupted for three hours due to heavy rain but the wait proved to be worth it with an exciting rally that excited the crowd at the Stadium Ground.

“Playing against Janik is always special,” Alcaraz said. “I always push myself to perform at the highest level against him and the same goes for him.

“We knew we had to play at the highest level to win. We worked magic on the pitch and scored an unbelievable score, which was fantastic for the crowd as well.”

When play resumed, Sinner quickly took the initiative, using his depth and accuracy to win four games in a row to take the first set.

He saved the only break point he faced and lashed out with a short ball on the break point to score a stinging cross-court pass winner to earn an insurance break for a 5-1 lead.

Alcaraz responded in the second set, subtly changing his style by dropping back to give himself more time to return the serve and gradually get into game shape.

He blasted a powerful volley winner past Sinner to take a 3-1 lead and secure the game 4-1, with fans cheering in front of the net for an exciting game.

Sinner had his chance but was unable to convert after giving himself a break opportunity in the seventh game with a great serve-return.

Alcaraz saved another break chance with an incredible backhand winner and sealed the set with a lob winner.

Mentally strong

“I’m staying strong mentally,” Alcaraz said. “I think that’s a very important part of this game.

“In a game like this, against an unbelievable competition, I’m very happy with what I did.

“I changed my style a little bit, I changed my game and I think it worked very, very well.”

Some forehand errors by Sinner opened things up for Alcaraz in the third game of the deciding set, and he broke serve with a high backhand volley to end another clinch.

Sinner rushed to get the ball back, but he came up and shook out his right arm.

He suddenly seemed powerless to stop Alcaraz, who had won five games in a row, and finally sealed the victory with a forehand winner on the third match point.

“(I’m) really happy to beat Jannik and obviously get to the final again,” said Alcaraz, who is chasing his first title since winning Wimbledon last July.

This was the second consecutive year Alcaraz stopped Sinner in the Indian Wells semifinals.

Sinner won the next two games and won 19 consecutive games. He’s off to a 16-0 start in 2024, which includes his first major title in Australia and a win in Rotterdam last month.

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