Alcaraz breaks his curse with Auger-Aliassime and meets Sinner in the semifinals

After three losses in his first three games against him, Carlos Alcaraz resolved his ‘curse‘ with the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime and qualified brilliantly for the semifinals of Indian Wells, where another tough nut to crack awaits him: the Italian Jannik Sinner.

With great authority and hardly any cracks in his game, Alcaraz beat Auger-Aliassimetenth in the world ranking, for a double 6-4 in two hours.

The Spaniard will play the semifinals in the Californian desert for the second consecutive year (in 2022 he lost to Rafa Nadal in an epic match) and, if he took the Indian Wells title, he would regain number one in the world now held by the Serb Novak Djokovic.

For this you will have to beat Sinner on Saturdaywho defeated the current champion of the tournament, the American taylor fritzby 6-4, 4-6 and 6-4 in two hours and 17 minutes.

Number 13 in the world ranking, the Italian defeated Alcaraz in the Umag final in 2022 and eliminated him in the round of 16 at Wimbledon, but in the quarterfinals of the US Open he fell to the Murcian after an exciting match.

The other Indian Wells semifinal will be played by the American Frances Tiafoe and the Russian Daniil Medvedev, who is living a fabulous moment with 18 straight matches won and three tournaments won in a row (Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai).

shared future

On a chilly night in Indian Wells with the center court practically full two of the young talents called to relieve the historical trio formed by Nadal, Federer and Djokovic.

In addition, in the previous story about Auger-Aliassime, from 22 years, as ‘black beast’ from Alcaraz, 19, there was a particularly striking fact: in 31 games against the rest over three games, the Murcian had not managed to break the Canadian’s serve on any occasion.

In fact, Alcaraz had wasted in those precedents 11 ‘break’ balls. That drought ended tonight though It wasn’t easy at first.

Alcaraz began the duel displaying great strength on his serve and putting his rival in trouble, but he did not sign the break until his sixth chance against an Auger-Aliassime who he defended himself with rage and with cannon fire on his serve (3-2).

Before reaching that key moment in the first set, Alcaraz had already left pearls of extraordinary quality as a couple of perfect dropshots or, above all, an impressive rally in which he ‘resurrected’ with a spectacular lob when he already seemed to have lost the point and which he finished off by going into the net.

With the public totally amazed, the young man put his hand to his ear asking for even more applause and celebrated such an action with his fist closed and looking at his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

The detail of Alcaraz with Draper after his injury with which he earned the respect of Indian Wells

The confidential

alcaraz, what He only had to save a ‘break’ ball in the first set, he no longer looked back and decisively sentenced the first sleeve with a wonderful parallel right.

Auger-Aliassime had to invent a comeback but, although he did not lower his head, this time did not meet heroic resistance from their round of 16 duel when he raised six match points against the American Tommy Paul.

The Montrealer gave up his first turn to serve in the second set with several errors but then recovered with his first ‘break’ to Alcaraz of the evening (1-1).

Was a turning point with a more solid Auger-Aliassime who balanced the forces of the party.

However, Alcaraz did not rush, he continued to dominate from the bottom of the court and patiently waited for his moment, which came at 4-4 and in another game of cold sweat from his rival to keep serve.

Auger-Aliassime he resorted to two tremendous serves to solve a 15-40 but finally conceded the break and threw in the towel against an Alcaraz who continues to walk with firm steps in Indian Wells.

After the match and at the foot of the track, the Spaniard, who highlighted his work to the rest tonight, was very satisfied for having defeated “one of the toughest players on the circuit” for the first time, truly proud to beat him here in this stadium and to qualify for the semifinals after this great game”, he stated.

After three losses in his first three games against him, Carlos Alcaraz resolved his ‘curse‘ with the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime and qualified brilliantly for the semifinals of Indian Wells, where another tough nut to crack awaits him: the Italian Jannik Sinner.