Like Alcaraz, Elena Rybakina is also getting closer to the Sunshine Double. The winner of Indian Wells beats the American and world number three Jessica Pegula in straight sets, qualifying for the final of the Miami Open 2023.
Pegula was ahead by a break three times in the first set but in the end it was the Kazakh who won the tiebreak.
Similar situation in the second set with Pegula squandering a 3-0 lead and then suffering a decisive break in the ninth game. She finished 7-6 6-4 and Elena will also have one more day off than the other finalist.
In the Russian derby, played late due to the rain, Petra Kvitova beatĀ Ekaterina Alexandrova in three hard-fought sets, and now she will face the surprise Sorana Cirstea in the semifinals.
Below the highlights
The men’s results
Carlos Alcaraz continues to win and against the American Taylor Fritz, Top 10 and very tricky opponent on these courts, gives a performance that borders on perfection.
The Spanish tennis player reached the semifinals in Miami without losing a set, and will now face Jannik Sinner again in what was everyone’s most awaited match. Lethal performance of the no.1 tennis player, who commits only one unforced error in the whole match and drives Fritz crazy with very talented variations and strokes.
Match with two very similar sets with Carlos who immediately takes the lead by a break and with the American crashing in the second set. In the first set Fritz has two break points, in different games, to get back into the game, but Alcaraz cancels them in a big way and effectively extinguishes the Californian tennis player’s hopes.
The first set ends 6-4 and Alcaraz immediately closes the second set too, getting the break at the beginning. He finishes 6-4 6-2 in one hour and nineteen minutes and thanks to this result Jannik is officially back in the Top Ten, ahead of Taylor Fritz.
Sinner is currently number 9 and only Khachanov can overtake him only with the victory of the tournament. Russian derby in the other semifinal between the super favorite Daniil Medvedev and the outsider Karen Khachanov. For the Russian number one nice victory against the surprise Eubanks, protagonist until the end with good plays and an interesting performance.
On the other hand, Khachanov’s victory was clear and he settled the Argentine Cerundolo without particular difficulties, destroyed with the result of 6-3 6-2.