Indian Wells (United States) (AFP) – World number one Carlos Alcaraz swept past Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-3 to reach the third round of the Indian Wells Masters on Saturday as Novak Djokovic battled back for a three-set victory over Kamil Majchrzak. Spain’s Alcaraz was untroubled by the former world number three from Bulgaria, pushing his perfect 2026 match record to 13-0 in just 66 minutes. Djokovic, a five-time Indian Wells champion who has struggled in recent years, had to grind for two hours and 12 minutes to subdue 57th ranked Majchrzak of Poland 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Alcaraz said he has been wary of Dimitrov, but even in the swirling winds on Stadium Court he was in control, firing from the baseline with power and accuracy. He barely broke sweat and cracked plenty of smiles, saving the lone break point he faced in the second set and even getting a high-five from his opponent on a changeover. “I think I played great,” said the 22-year-old Spaniard, whose Australian Open triumph made him the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam. “The conditions weren’t easy, a lot of wind today. I’m really, really happy just that I was able to do every goal that I set up before the match.”
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Alcaraz, who followed up his Melbourne triumph with a title in Doha, says Indian Wells is the perfect place to keep the wins coming. “I love being here so much, I think that’s why I’m just playing relaxed, playing calm, chilling,” he said. Although he shares the record for most Indian Wells titles with Swiss great Roger Federer, Djokovic has found the early going in California anything but relaxing in recent years. That was true again on Saturday, but the 38-year-old Serb superstar — back on court for the first time since he fell to Alcaraz in the Australian Open final — managed to escape with a win.
Majchrzak grabbed two quick breaks in the opening set before Djokovic began to find his rhythm from the baseline and assert his superiority. “Five weeks with no official match, I knew that the first match in such a long time will be a little bit tricky,” Djokovic said. “I felt like I had to find my A-game when it was most needed, particularly the beginning of the third, which was the case,” Djokovic added after a match marked by extended, entertaining rallies that included a 40-ball exchange in the opening game of the third.
It was an especially satisfying win for Djokovic, who lost his opener last year to Dutch lucky loser Botic van de Zandshculp and fell to lucky loser Luca Nardi in the third round in 2024. He hasn’t reached the quarter-finals here since his last run to the title in 2016.
– Draper rallies –
Britain’s Jack Draper launched his title defense with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut. Draper halted Alcaraz’s bid for a rare Indian Wells three-peat in the semi-finals last year before beating Holger Rune in the final. That victory launched his rise to fourth in the world, before an arm injury brought his 2025 season to a premature close. “To come out and play the level I’m playing after the injury I had, I am really proud of that,” Draper said.
In other matches, unseeded Brazilian Joao Fonseca saved two match points to take out 16th-seeded Russian Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-4. Seventh-seeded former champion Taylor Fritz squandered four match points in the second set but held on for a 6-3, 6-7 (8/10), 6-1 victory over 87th-ranked Briton Jacob Fearnley.
© 2024 AFP
