March 20, (THEWILL) – Carlos Alcaraz secured his first BNP Paribas Open title on Sunday, with an impressive 6-3, 6-2 victory over Daniil Medvedev, at Indian Wells.
The 19-year-old Spaniard maintained his unbeaten run throughout the tournament, not losing a set in six matches. This victory also ensures his return to the world number one position in Monday’s Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
Alcaraz becomes the youngest and ninth man to have won both the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments in his career, a feat previously achieved only by Rafael Nadal. He has also won three ATP Masters 1000 titles as a teenager, joining Nadal as the only player to have done so.
Meanwhile, Medvedev’s 19-match and three-tournament winning streak came to an end in the final. Alcaraz’s game plan was both patient and aggressive, winning him an immediate break in both sets. The Spaniard also managed to hit 18 winners compared to Medvedev’s five and won 10 out of 13 net points.
The young champion must now defend his Miami title over the next two weeks to maintain his position atop the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. With Novak Djokovic unavailable due to COVID-19 vaccination, the path appears clear for Alcaraz.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
