Tennis News

Orange Crush: Alcaraz routs Dimitrov in flawless Indian Wells opener

Carlos Alcaraz continued his perfect start to the season on Saturday at the BNP Paribas Open, delivering a fittingly flawless performance to down Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-3.

Sporting a bright-orange shirt with tangerine shorts — and a fresh fade haircut — Alcaraz was dominant from the baseline, beginning his Indian Wells campaign in the same form he produced to win the Australian Open and the ATP 500 event in Doha last month. A two-time Indian Wells champion, Alcaraz extended his winning streak to 13 matches.

“I knew it was going to be difficult with the conditions,” Alcaraz said following his second-round win. “His style is really, really dangerous and it’s always tough to control the ball when he steps on the court and he’s hitting his shots. With the wind today, it was even tougher and I think I adapted my game better and that’s why I took the match. In general, I’m really, really happy with the things that I’ve done today.”

OH MY ALCARAZ 😱 @BNPPARIBASOPEN | #TennisParadise | @carlosalcaraz pic.twitter.com/LQlEXIWB6Q

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 8, 2026

Despite the challenge of blustery conditions across the desert, Alcaraz still struck his forehand with pinpoint accuracy and usual firepower. The 22-year-old’s confidence was nearly palpable as he cracked large smiles and looked at ease throughout the 66-minute match. After Alcaraz hammered a forehand winner to close the seventh game of the second set, Dimitrov met him with a high five during the changeover.

“I love playing here. I love being here so, so much,” Alcaraz said. “I think that’s why I’m playing relaxed, playing calm, chilling, trying to enjoy every time I step on the court.”

The World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings improved to 5-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against the Bulgarian, 12 years his senior. The former No. 3 has troubled the Spaniard before, notably defeating him two years ago in Miami, where Alcaraz hilariously said Dimitrov’s performance “made me feel like I’m 13 years old”. The fan favourites met in Indian Wells last year, with Alcaraz cruising to a 6-1, 6-1 win.

Into the third round, Alcaraz next faces 26th seed Arthur Rinderknech, against whom he holds a perfect 5-0 Lexus ATP Head2Head record. Rinderknech’s second-round opponent Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo withdrew due to a left leg injury, giving the Frenchman a walkover.

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Draper and Kartal go through at Indian Wells

British number one Jack Draper fights back from a set down to get his Indian Wells title defence off to a winning start, as Sonay Kartal also goes through.

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Draper 'proud of level' following Indian Wells return

Defending champion Jack Draper made a winning return to the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday, when he battled past former World No. 9 Roberto Bautista Agut 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round.

The British lefty captured the biggest title of his career in the Californian desert last year, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals and Holger Rune in the championship match. The 24-year-old has since spent a large period on the sidelines with a left arm injury.

Draper returned to an ATP Tour event last week in Dubai, having been injured since the US Open in August. The No. 14 player in the PIF ATP Rankings won one match at the ATP 500 event and looked fairly comfortable on Stadium 2 in Indian Wells.

“It was difficult,” Draper said when asked about returning after injury. “Even though from the moment I got here last week, I have felt the love and special feelings being back here, but at the same time I haven’t played in a long time and have had a difficult injury, so mixed emotions. But I am really glad with the way I came through in the second and third sets against a formidable opponent in Roberto. He is someone who has played such amazing tennis on the Tour. I am proud of my performance.”

Draper hit 24 forehand winners, including 20 in the last two sets. He was also impressive when moving forward, winning all nine points he won at the net. The 14th seed said in his pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday that he ‘Wouldn’t be in Indian Wells if he didn’t feel he could go all the way’. He will hope to continue his run against Francisco Cerundolo.

“To come out and play the level I am playing after the injury I had, I am really proud of that,” Draper added.

In other action, the 13th seed Casper Ruud snapped a four-match losing streak at the ATP Masters 1000 events, moving past Alexander Shevchenko 6-1, 7-6(4). The Norwegian had not earned victory at this level since he reached the fourth round in Toronto last August, losing his opening matches in Cincinnati, Shanghai and Paris.

Ruud is into the third round in Indian Wells for the fifth time and will next meet Shanghai champion Valentin Vacherot or Portugal’s Nuno Borges.

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Inside Korda's 'long journey back': No driving, crutches & a lot of hard work

When Sebastian Korda won the Delray Beach Open last month it was a memorable scene. With a huge smile across his face, the American took his young nephew, the son of professional golfer Jessica Korda, down from the stands and soaked in the moment.

Last August, Korda fell to No. 86 in the PIF ATP Rankings, his lowest mark since April 2022. In large part, the drop was because the American suffered a stress fracture in his right shin that kept him out of action for three months. From the lows of spending his days in a boot to claiming his third ATP Tour title, it has been an interesting ride.

“It was cool. Had a long journey to get back to winning a title. Especially with my whole family there, it was something I’ve never experienced before,” Korda told ATPTour.com. “It was emotional, it was cool. It was a lot of hard work behind the scenes, but I was just super happy with it.”

It was only the second time Korda’s nephew had been to a tennis tournament despite Uncle Sebi and Grandpa Petr Korda’s history in the sport. Jessica lives nearby to Delray Beach, so Sebastian hung out at their house a bit. All was right in the world.

Less than a year ago, Korda was in pain and physically unable to do things that most take for granted.

“It was tough. I couldn’t drive around. I couldn’t do things. I had some crutches for a couple of weeks as well,” Korda said. “It wasn’t a fun experience. I never realised how tough crutches are as well. It wasn’t a fun time…

“Last year was pretty dark, and whenever I’ve gone through an injury, I kind of disconnected myself a little bit. Definitely had super tough moments, but a lot of people on the team really helped me come through.”

<img alt=”Sebastian Korda celebrates his Delray Beach triumph with fiancée Ivana Nedved.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2026/02/22/23/18/korda-delray-beach-2026-kiss.jpg” />
^{Korda and fiancee Ivana Nedved in Delray Beach. Photo: Getty Images}

Korda returned last August in Winston-Salem, where he made the semi-finals. In his last tournament of the year in Athens, the American again made the semi-finals and fell just short to Top-10 star Lorenzo Musetti in a three-set tussle. His tennis had not simply disappeared.

But there were also difficult moments: opening-round losses at the US Open and the Australian Open, for example.

“The toughest part was coming back. Different environments, you kind of disconnect yourself from the stress of playing matches and nerves and just getting back to that and getting comfortable again,” Korda said. “Being in those situations definitely was the toughest part.”

It was not about forehands, backhands or even the serve. It has been about the mental side of the sport.

“You look through those moments, uncertainty, you don’t know how you will perform, maybe [how you will] be with the pressure,” Korda said. “The mental is definitely a lot tougher than the physical.

“I felt like I was playing good tennis, but I couldn’t really translate it into a match atmosphere. I think the last two months of just playing a ton of matches has been really helping.” 

After losing three consecutive matches in January, Korda played an ATP Challenger Tour event in San Diego, where he reached the final. Since then, the 25-year-old advanced to the quarter-finals at the ATP 500 in Dallas, lifted the trophy in Delray Beach and is now competing in the first ATP Masters 1000 event of the season at Indian Wells, where he will challenge sixth seed Alex de Minaur in the second round.

Coach Ryan Harrison, who recently joined Korda’s team, has been happy with what he has seen.

“He’s responding really well to every situation that comes at him,” Harrison said. “Sometimes you’ll be in a match, and you’ll have some bad luck happen — guys will play well, and then other times you might not be feeling your best at the very beginning.”

But mentally, Korda has been locked in and navigating his way through matches, building more confidence each time he steps on the court.

“Every time he’s been playing, he’s been finding a way to get better and better throughout each match,” Harrison said. “[He has been] very resilient out there, even when there are those moments in a match that things can get really tricky to stay on it. He’s been very, very strong mentally.

It has not been the easiest year for Korda. But the former World No. 15 is moving in the right direction.

“Grateful for these experiences,” Korda said. “And then learned from them and tried to get better from them.”

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'I saw a drone hit the US consulate' – Patten's escape from Dubai

Explosions, fighter jets and aborted border crossings – British doubles player Henry Patten on finally getting out of Dubai amid the Middle East conflict.

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Majchrzak excited for 'PlayStation' Djokovic challenge: 'You want to learn from the best'

A memorable moment in Kamil Majchrzak’s career came in 2022 at Wimbledon, where the Pole had the opportunity to train with his idol: Novak Djokovic. Majchrzak had watched the Serbian play countless matches and finally, he stood across the net from him.

“It was amazing to practise with Novak and to witness his ball and the quality of his shots, but also his attitude and also the general presence and the way he prepares for the practice,” Majchrzak told ATPTour.com. “The way he practises, how careful he is with any move he makes and how precise, everything is just top tier. I was trying to get as much as possible for myself out of this practice, and that’s what I’m going to do on Saturday as well.”

Saturday is when Majchrzak faces Djokovic in a match for the first time. They will open their Lexus ATP Head2Head series in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open.

“I’m actually really excited to play against Novak. He’s one of the greatest tennis players ever, and if you want to learn, you want to learn from the best,” Majchrzak said. “I never had a chance to play against Rafa or Roger, so I was really hoping at some point I could play against Novak to witness the highest possible level of anything. I’m really happy about that challenge.”

Djokovic is a record 40-time ATP Masters 1000 titlist and tied for the most Indian Wells triumphs with Roger Federer (5 each). What stands out the most about his game?

“His ball speed and ball quality are incredible. He can play any ball from any position,” Majchrzak said. “He’s moving very well. He’s just extremely precise and sometimes even robotic, like somebody plays PlayStation with him. So he was always extremely consistent. It is not easy to get the advantage against him.”

Majchrzak will take confidence into the match knowing he is World No. 57, just two places off his career-high No. 55 in the PIF ATP Rankings. The nine-time ATP Challenger Tour champion believed he has improved a lot of things, starting with his serve and playing more aggressively, especially in critical moments.

“My main focus in the practice [has been] to take more action into my hands and to play myself instead of letting the play go and just run and hit,” Majchrzak said. “Obviously, it goes up and down, but that’s the direction we set with my coach, and probably that’s one of the reasons I’m doing better and better.

“Normally, when it was getting close, I was letting the opponent decide and dictate the play. Now I’m trying to do the opposite, and many times it works, many times it doesn’t. But that’s our general target and goal: to be more aggressive.”

Majchrzak began working with coach Christopher Kas in September 2024 when the Pole was well outside the Top 100. By focusing on not just understanding how to play in key situations but convincing Majchrzak to execute in those moments, Kas has helped his charge become a consistent presence on the ATP Tour, reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon and the third round of the US Open last year.

Now Majchrzak will try to upset 101-time tour-level champion Djokovic in one of the biggest matches of his career.

“I’m really excited that normally I just watch his matches just to see the matches,” Majchrzak said. “Now I will watch it carefully to prepare the strategy and to prepare what to do on court, and I will do my best to give him a hard time and possibly win.”

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Sinner surrenders two games in ruthless Indian Wells victory

Jannik Sinner was relentless in his opening performance at the BNP Paribas Open on Friday, dispatching Czech qualifier Dalibor Svrcina 6-1, 6-1.

Seeking his first Indian Wells trophy, the second seed overwhelmed Svrcina with heavy ballstriking and imposing pace en route to a 64-minute victory.

“I feel mentally I’m in a good place,” said Sinner, who was competing for the first time since his Doha defeat to Jakub Mensik. “I’m calm, I’m relaxed. But I’m also very happy to compete. We did a lot of work. Many, many hours on court. Many hours in the gym. I’m trying to get a little bit stronger [physically]. We did double sessions, not many days off at all.”

Sinner’s best result in the California desert is a semi-final run in 2023 and 2024. Should the 24-year-old triumph this fortnight, he would complete the set of titles at all six hard-court ATP Masters 1000 events.

Sinner played tight to the baseline and forced Svrcina to take a deep court position, allowing the Italian opportunities to move forward and finish points at net. He converted 15 of his 17 net points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

From 1-1 in the opening set, Sinner tallied nine consecutive games before Svrcina won another game. The 24-time tour-level titlist, who is five victories shy of his 100th ATP Masters 1000 match win, improved to 8-2 this season.

The No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings next faces 29th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry, who recently won the ATP 500 event in Rio de Janeiro, or Canadian Denis Shapovalov.

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Fucsovics stuns World No. 5 Musetti in Indian Wells, Shelton survives major scare

Marton Fucsovics earned just his second Top 5 win and first in nearly six years on Friday at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where he stunned World No. 5 Lorenzo Musetti 7-5, 6-1.

Musetti was competing for the first time since he was forced to retire from his Australian Open quarter-final against Novak Djokovic with a psoas muscle injury when leading by two sets to love. Returning to the Tour in California, the 24-year-old committed 26 unforced errors and showed signs of rustiness against Fucsovics, who is into the third round in Indian Wells for the second time.

The Hungarian played with high intensity and capitalised on a misfiring performance from the Italian to improve to 4-35 against Top 10 opponents, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. Fucsovics’ previous Top 5 win came against Daniil Medvedev at Roland Garros in 2020, with this his first Top 10 victory on a hard court.

The No. 56 player in the PIF ATP Rankings Fucsovics will next meet Arthur Fils after the Frenchman advanced when Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic retired. Fils, who returned to Tour last month following a back injury, was leading 6-2, 3-2.

In other action, for a large period, eighth seed Ben Shelton appeared on course to join fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti in an early exit from the ATP Masters 1000 event. However, the 23-year-old American staged a comeback to secure a hard-fought 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 6-3 victory against Reilly Opelka.

Shelton came within two points of defeat when he trailed 4/5 in the second-set tie-break. Yet Opelka faltered at the crucial moment, losing both points on his serve to hand Shelton a lifeline. The lefty later took a tumble while serving for the match at 5-3 in the third set, slipping as he hit a volley. Nevertheless, Shelton quickly recovered, regained his composure and eventually sealed the win after two hours and 13 minutes.

The Top 10 star, who advanced to the quarter-finals in Indian Wells last year, will next face Learner Tien. The reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion leads Shelton 1-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

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'No player should have to deal with this' – Udvardy was sent threats and gun photo

Hungary’s Panna Udvardy says she was sent “disturbing” messages including a picture of a gun, warning her family would be harmed unless she lost a tennis match.

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Tien moves behind Roddick on exclusive list…

Learner Tien reached a major milestone on Friday at the BNP Paribas Open, becoming the youngest American since Andy Roddick to notch 50 tour-level victories. The 20-year-old lefty defeated Adam Walton 7-6(3), 7-6(8) to move into second place on the leaderboard behind Roddick.

Roddick, the former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, recorded his 50th tour-level win at the 2002 Australian Open at 19 years and four months. By securing his 50th victory at 20 years and three months, Tien now sits just behind Roddick on this exclusive list. Close friend Alex Michelsen ranks third, while Sam Querrey and 2022 Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz round out the top five.

“It is great. I also saw I was two months younger than Alex. I think it is cool,” Tien told ATPTour.com when reflecting on the achievement. “I feel like it has flown by. I still remember my first win so vividly and how much that meant to me. Obviously, 50 is a pretty big benchmark and now I am pushing for 100.”

Youngest Americans to reach 50 tour-level wins (since 2000)

Tien’s rise has been swift and impressive. He claimed his maiden tour-level victory in August 2024 in Winston-Salem, defeating Tristan Schoolkate en route to the quarter-finals at the ATP 250. Since then, he captured his first ATP Tour trophy in Metz last November and followed it up by clinching the Next Gen ATP Finals title in Jeddah. He also has five Top 10 wins.

“I was in qualies and I was playing on some really small court in the back and there was barely anyone there,” Tien said, remembering his first win in Winston-Salem. “I think I lost the first set and then I ended up winning in three and then I ended up winning a couple of [main draw] matches.”

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