World no. 2 Carlos Alcaraz is through to his second consecutive Indian Wells semi-final. Carlos faced Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarter-final and scored a 6-4, 6-4 triumph in two hours for his first victory over the Canadian in four encounters. Alcaraz is now two wins from becoming world no. 1 again and taking the honor away from Novak Djokovic. The Spaniard played better behind the first and second serve. He defended three out of four break points and kept the pressure on the other side. The Canadian gave his best to stay in touch, although he failed to win at least a set after getting broken three times from 12 chances offered to his rival. Carlos fired 26 winners and 16 unforced errors. Felix could not follow those numbers, struggling in the mid-range exchanges and ending his run in the quarter-final. Both players served well in the encounter’s opening games, and Felix faced issues behind the initial shot in game three. He denied a break point after Carlos’ backhand error and held to avoid an early setback.
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets in Indian Wells.
The Spaniard pushed strong on the return in game five and seized the fifth break point with a mighty forehand crosscourt to grab a break and open a 3-2 gap. World no. 2 fired a service winner in the sixth game to cement the advantage and settle into a fine rhythm. Alcaraz repeated that in game eight for 5-3, forcing Auger-Aliassime to serve to stay in the set. Felix grabbed the ninth game with a service winner, and Carlos served for the opener at 5-4. The Spaniard sprayed a backhand error and experienced a break point that could have changed the course of the set.
Alcaraz stayed calm and denied it with a forced error before firing a forehand down the line winner for 6-4 in 62 minutes. The Canadian sprayed a backhand error at the start of the second set to experience a break and fall a set and a break down. The Spaniard could not cement it, hitting a forehand long in the second game to suffer a break and bring the rival back to 1-1. Felix saved two break points in the third game, and they both served well in the next five games to stay neck and neck. Carlos pushed hard on the return in the ninth game and converted the third break chance after Felix’s loose backhand to open a 5-4 lead and serve for the victory. The Spaniard held at 15 in the tenth game with a forehand winner to book a place in the semi-final against Jannik Sinner.