Alcaraz Near Perfect As He Begins Quest For Third Indian Wells Crown

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (photo: Jürgen Hasenkopf)

INDIAN WELLS/WASHINGTON, March 8, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, one of many headliners starring at the 50th edition of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., made his entrance at the ATP/WTA 1000 combined event to great applause on Saturday.

The 22-year-old Spaniard has begun 2026 with a big splash – an undefeated season through his first two tournaments. In January, he became the youngest man in history to complete Career Grand Slam at Australian Open. It was followed by his run to Doha title.

Now, the top-seeded Alcaraz, who has advanced to at least the semifinals in the last four editions of Indian Wells – and won the 2023 and 2024 titles in the California palm desert – brought his 20-3 career record into his opening match against former World No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov, in a rematch of their 2025 fourth round match at Indian Wells. 

Alcaraz gave a near-perfect performance in defeating Dimitrov, 6-2, 6-3, in 66 minutes on Stadium 1 to extend his current winning streak to 13 matches. He won 77 percent (27 of 35) of his first-serve points, saved the only break point he faced, broke Dimitrov’s serve three times and outpointed him 58-39.

The 34-year-old Bulgarian, now ranked 42nd, aimed to be the first player to defeat Alcaraz on an outdoor hard court since David Goffin of Belgium in the second round at Miami last year. It’s been nearly 13 years since Dimitrov last recorded a win over a World No. 1, after defeating No. 1 Novak Djokovic at Madrid in 2013.

“You know, I’m just really proud about my start of the year. Hopefully the winning streak continues or I would try that, but I just happy to see myself playing great tennis,” Alcaraz said earlier this week during his pre-tournament news conference.

During his on-court interview, Alcaraz said facing Dimitrov would be difficult with the windy conditions that prevailed. “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,” he said. “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.”

One of the earlier arrivals at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, Alcaraz has been a friendly presence everywhere he’s seen – and his practice sessions have drawn many curious onlookers. Like many players, Alcaraz has been drawn to social media and, like many, he’s has shared his behind-the-scenes goings-on in a personal vlog.

“Well, I think it’s good. Why not get to know the players behind the scenes? I think it’s really good to understand a little bit more about how a player is going through in every tournament in his life, and I think that’s really interesting to see,” Alcaraz said.

“Talking for myself, I think I just really wanted to show the people how I live, how I feel, and, you know, how I just approach everything in my life.”

While Alcaraz isn’t sure if there will be more vlogs in his future, he’s keeping an open mind. “Let’s see in the future,” he said, “but I think my point of view, I think it’s great for everyone that we get to know the people behind the scenes.”

Meanwhile, when Alcaraz was asked if he could pinpoint something he’s been doing better than usual that has contributed to his early-season success, he said it was his ability to control his emotions better. 

“I would say that was the key of, you know, the good level of tennis that I have been playing lately,” Alcaraz said. “Because on the court, I just control myself, and in a calm place I can find the solutions and I can go through.

“When I was getting mad or when I was playing bad or whatever, I just found the right way again, because I was calm, I was controlling myself and controlling my emotions and I was maintaining my good focus. I would say I was doing that even better than before.”

News & noteworthy

Win or lose, Gaël Monfils always makes sure he has fun when he’s on the tennis court. On Friday evening, the 39-year-old Frenchman bid adieu to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden after he lost to No. 9 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, in two hours and 16 minutes on Stadium 3. 

The 148th-ranked wild card sought back-to-back wins for the first time since his run to the fourth round at Miami last year. Had he beaten Auger-Aliassime, Monfils would have been the third-oldest player to reach an ATP Masters 1000 third round in series history. As it is, he’s tied with Richard Gasquet for most ATP Masters 1000 victories among French players (144) and is 38-100 against Top-10 competition.

Recently, Monfils announced he would retire from pro tennis at the end of the 2026 season.

“It’s something that I think my parents teach me to, no matter what, have fun,” Monfils said during his post-match news conference. “You can be disappointed as a competitor, but at the end, as you just say, it’s a game, so I’m always happy.

“You know, for me, it’s always a privilege to be on the court, and as you just say, I call it my job, but first, it’s a sport and a game. For me, it’s always a privilege to be on the court. I call it my job, but first it’s a sport and a game.”

After playing in his final match at Indian Wells, Monfils was asked during his news conference to describe what playing in Tennis Paradise meant to him. He finished with 23-16 win-loss record at Indian Wells, reaching the quarterfinals twice – in 2016 and 2019.

“It’s unbelievable tournament for me. I’m a little bit sad. You know, normally not down, but a little bit sad that, as I say last time I came here, 2005, I had the chance to, for the first time, come with my mom, and, you know, as a kid, always wanted to play in big tournaments, big crowd, big venues, and this one was matching all my expectations from day one until now,” Monfils said.

“The infrastructure is just unbelievable. Could see the evolution now for two decades, and it’s been great. I had different, let’s say, way that I appreciate the tournament. Of course, when I was super young, with friends, a little bit in the way with heavy team, to walk out. Then family, then family with my daughter and parents. 

“You know, for me was always a happy place, a place that, you know, I could grow my own self, as well. I always sit here in peace. I was super happy, you know, that I could get this invitation, because I think it’s the most, I mean, it’s the tournament where I played the most, and I think it’s for a reason, because here I always felt good.”

Around the Indian Wells Tennis Garden

• Five-time Indian Wells champion Novak Djokovic began his quest to become the oldest ATP Masters 1000 champion in series history on Saturday afternoon. The 38-year-old Serbian great took on Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak, who was looking for the biggest win of his career, while Djokovic aimed to avoid his second-consecutive opening round loss at Indian Wells after losing to Botic van de Zandschulp last year. By the conclusion of their two-hour, 12-minute second-round clash on Stadium 1 Saturday afternoon, Djokovic overcame a shaky start and won 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Since completing the Sunshine Double (Indian Wells and Miami) in three consecutive years (2014-16), Djokovic has reached just one quarterfinal at either Indian Wells or Miami, advancing to last year’s final in Miami.

“It [has] been very challenging lately for me in Indian Wells,” Djokovic said during his on-court interview. “It has been hard for me to find my A-game, particularly in the beginning of the tournament in the past seven or eight years. I am glad to overcome a challenge.”

• Reigning champion Jack Draper returned to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden 12 months after winning the biggest title of his career followed by Top 10 debut. The 24-year-old British No. 1 met Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut, who aimed to be the first man to oust a defending Indian Wells champion in the opening round since Juan Martin del Potro defeated Ivan Ljubicic in the second round in 2011. 

For a set, it looked like the 93rd-ranked Bautista Agut might pull off the upset but, in the end, it was Draper who won, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, in one hour and 45 minutes on Stadium 2 behind 43 winners. Next, he will face World No. 20 Francisco Cerundolo, who defeated 111th-ranked qualifier Benjamin Bonzi of France, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5).

• No. 35 Joao Fonseca of Brazil saved a couple of match points en route to his upset of World No. 16 and 16th seed Karen Khachanov of Russia, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4. The Stadium 3 crowd was full of Brazilian fans, who burst into song and willed Fonseca to victory. The 19-year-old is the second-youngest man to reach the Indian Wells third round this decade, behind only 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in 2022.

In his on-court interview, Fonseca said: “Those are the victories we work for, saving a match point. The first months of the year were a little tough, getting the rhythm and getting back from injury. [Today was] a great match against a great player. I’m very happy with the way that I fought. I know how experienced he is and after a tough second set, I got an early break in the third. This victory means a lot.”

• World No. 2 and two-time (2022, 2024) Indian Wells champion Iga Swiatek scored a bagel in the first set of her opening win over 187th-ranked American qualifier Kayla Day on Stadium 2, then rallied from 1-5 down to pull out a 6-0, 7-6 (2) victory to advance to the third round. The second-seeded Swiatek has now won 33 straight opening matches in WTA 1000 tournaments and 73 straight in all WTA Tour events.

Asked during her post-match news conference how she turned around her match, Swiatek said: “I think for sure I drifted off a little bit for some games, and then I became tight because of that. For sure I needed to get back to my first-set game. I feel like I did that quite well. The end of the second set looked much different. Yeah, I played with much more, you know, spin, confidence, and that’s why I could win these games in a row and get back to the match.”

• Defending champion Mirra Andreeva of Russia needed just 50 minutes to win her opening round match against No. 65 Solana Sierra of Argentina, 6-0, 6-0. The No. 8 seed Andreeva saved all four break points she faced, converted six of nine break-point opportunities against Sierra and outpointed her 54-21.

“Yeah, I feel like I was playing well today,” Andreeva said during her post-match news conference. “Also, the conditions were pretty tricky. The wind was changing directions every time. So I’m pretty happy with how I adjusted my game to these conditions, and very happy to win the match and be back to this place.”

Saturday’s Indian Wells results

Sunday’s Indian Wells order of play

By the numbers 

In the past year (since the 2025 Indian Wells event), only Aryna Sabalenka (63) and Iga Swiatek (60) have achieved more WTA Tour-level main draw wins than Elena Rybakina (59). On Saturday, World No. 3 Rybakina defeated No. 43 Hailey Baptiste of the United States, 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-2. Meanwhile, World No. 2 Swiatek eased past 187th-ranked American qualifier Kayla Day, 6-0, 7-6 (2).

“Quotable …”

“I feel mentally I’m in a good place. 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.”

– World No. 2 Jannik Sinner, during his on-court interview following his 6-1, 6-1 victory over 109th-ranked qualifier Dalibor Svrcina of Czechia Friday evening. Skinner is a two-time semifinalist at Indian Wells (2023-24). Should he win this year’s Indian Wells title, he would complete the set of titles on all six hard-court ATP Masters 1000 events.

 

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