Alcaraz defends Indian Wells title with victory over Medvedev

Carlos Alcaraz defended his Indian Wells title after beating Daniil Medvedev 7-6(5) 6-1 in the final in California on Sunday.

After a tight opening set which Medvedev led 6-5, Alcaraz forced a tie-break which he edged 7-5 to take the advantage in the contest.

In the second set it was a different story as Alcaraz steamrolled the world No. 4 to clinch his first title of the year – and first since Wimbledon last summer.

Medvedev started the match strongly, breaking Alcaraz in the second game of the first set to stamp his authority on the match.

Alcaraz broke back in the fifth game to close the gap to 3-2, roaring back into contention following a brilliant rally.

The players could not be separated and required a tie-breaker as the set went to 6-6.

Alcaraz took an early 3-0 lead as Medvedev saw the early advantage slip through his fingers.

The Russian clawed the tie-break back to 3-2, but Alcaraz was too strong as he mastered a beautifully sliced forehand to move further clear and regain his three-point lead.

Medvedev once again rallied back to keep the exciting opener alive, but Alcaraz finally moved a set ahead when Medvedev went wide at set point.

Just like Medvedev had in the first set, Alcaraz broke in the second game for an early 2-0 lead.

The 20-year-old got into his groove in the second set and smashed a fantastic shot past his opponent before holding to love for 4-1.

He crucially broke Medvedev for the second time in the set for 5-1, and from there was able to cruise to victory for his second Indian Wells title.

Alcaraz is only the sixth player to successfully defend the Indian Wells crown.

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Miami Open 2024: When does it start? When is the draw? Who’s playing?

The world’s top tennis stars will descend on Florida this month for the ATP/WTA 1000 Miami Open.

The tournament is the second part of the ‘Sunshine Double’ after Indian Wells, which started in early March.

Last year Elena Rybakina was a win away from completing the ‘Sunshine Double’, just falling short as she lost to Petra Kvitova in the Miami Open final. Daniil Medvedev won the men’s title in Miami as he beat Jannik Sinner in the final.

When does the Miami Open start? What time will play start in the UK? What’s the schedule? And who’s playing? Here’s everything you need to know about the Miami Open 2024…

When does the Miami Open start?

Qualifying for the Miami Open starts on Sunday, March 17, the same day that the men’s and women’s singles finals take place at Indian Wells.

The women’s main draw starts on Tuesday, March 19 and the men’s main draw gets under way on Wednesday, March 20.

The finals will be held on the weekend of March 30.

What’s the schedule for the Miami Open?

Play will start each day at 3pm UK time, with night sessions kicking off at 11pm UK time.

The sessions on finals weekend will start at 4.30pm UK time.

Miami Open 2024 schedule

  • Sunday, March 17 – Women’s qualifying first round
  • Monday, March 18 – Women’s qualifying second round, men’s qualifying first round
  • Tuesday, March 19 – Women’s singles first round, men’s qualifying second round
  • Wednesday, March 20 – Women’s and men’s singles first round
  • Thursday, March 21 – Women’s singles second round, men’s singles first round
  • Friday, March 22 – Women’s and men’s singles second round
  • Saturday, March 23 – Women’s singles third round, men’s singles second round
  • Sunday, March 24 – Women’s and men’s singles third round
  • Monday, March 25 – Women’s singles fourth round, men’s singles third round
  • Tuesday, March 26 – Women’s singles quarter-finals, men’s singles fourth round
  • Wednesday, March 27 – Women’s and men’s singles quarter-finals
  • Thursday, March 28 – Women’s singles semi-finals, men’s singles quarter-finals
  • Friday, March 29 – Men’s singles semi-finals
  • Saturday, March 30 – Women’s singles final, men’s double final
  • Sunday, March 31 – Men’s singles final, women’s double final

When is the Miami Open draw?

The women’s draw will be on Sunday, March 17 and the men’s draw will be on Monday, March 18.

Where is the Miami Open held?

The tournament is played on outdoor hard courts at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Who’s playing at the Miami Open?

Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek will headline the men’s and women’s singles draws at the Miami Open.

Djokovic will be playing the Miami Open for the first time 2019 and will be looking to win the tournament for a seventh time. He has not competed in Miami for the last few years due to being unable to travel to the US because he is unvaccinated.

Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev look set to be the leading contenders for the men’s title along with Djokovic.

“I don’t find myself ready to play at the highest level at such an important event,” said Nadal, who has only played three matches this season due to injury.

“It is not an easy decision, it’s a tough one as a matter of fact but I can’t lie to myself and lie to the thousands of fans.”

Nadal, who could be playing his last season on tour, hasn’t competed in Miami since 2017 and it seems likely he will concentrate his efforts on getting fit for the start of the clay season in April.

Andy Murray is set to play the Miami Open for the last time.

Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka will lead the women’s field while last year’s runner-up Elena Rybakina is hoping to be ready after missing Indian Wells.

World No. 3 Rybakina withdrew from Indian Wells hours ahead of starting her title defence due to illness.

Defending champion Petra Kvitova is not playing as she is pregnant. Belinda Bencic misses out for the same reason, and Karolina Muchova is out injured.

Former world No. 1 Halep has been cleared to return to tennis after her four-year doping ban was reduced to nine months following an appeal.

Miami will be Halep’s first tournament since the 2022 US Open.

Kei Nishikori, Venus Williams, Emma Raducanu and Caroline Wozniacki have been awarded wild cards.

For Nishikori it will be his first appearance since last July due to injuries.

Naomi Osaka will continue her comeback at the tournament where she made her last final in 2022. Both Osaka and fellow new mum Angelique Kerber will use their protected rankings to enter the main draw.

Which British players are playing the Miami Open?

Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans, Jack Draper and Murray are set to lead the British players in the men’s field in Miami.

Murray is a two-time Miami winner but has only won one match at the tournament since 2016.

British No. 1 Katie Boulter is set to be seeded after her rise up the rankings following her San Diego Open victory.

Boulter was beaten in her opening match at Indian Wells but is in line to get a first-round bye in Miami as one of the 32 seeds.

British No. 2 Jodie Burrage will miss out after undergoing wrist surgery while Harriet Dart looks set to enter qualifying and Raducanu has a wild card.
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Alcaraz downs Auger-Aliassime to reach Indian Wells last 16, Medvedev and Tsitsipas also through

Carlos Alcaraz defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-2 6-3 at Indian Wells on Sunday afternoon to move into the last 16.

Alcaraz reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open back in January, but failed to successfully defend his Argentina Open title last month, and then retired from the Rio Open with an ankle problem.

Auger-Aliassime reached the third round in Melbourne, and having fallen down the men’s rankings to No. 30, is eyeing a sustained run of good form to move back up.

The pair went toe-to-toe for the first four games, before the world No. 2 broke to go 5-2 to clear and put the pressure on the Canadian to keep pace.

Auger-Aliassime was unable to resist the Spaniard’s charge however and lost the first set, and the momentum stayed with Alcaraz as he broke in the first game of the second set.

Alcaraz pushed hard for a second break but Auger-Aliassime hung on at deuce to go 3-2 behind with Alcaraz still to serve.

Alcaraz’s more incisive play was reflected by his conversion of three out of six potential breaks, while his rival could not convert his single opportunity, and with four double faults from Auger-Aliassime, he was rarely able to threaten an upset as he saw his opponent win through.

“I think he didn’t get that many points with his serves. I think he lives with his serve,” Alcaraz said of his win.

“I put almost every return in, playing the point. I felt that I’m better than him from the baseline, putting some good points on the court and I think it went well. I played aggressive with less mistakes. I think it was almost a perfect match for me.”

Elsewhere on Sunday, Daniil Medvedev beat Roberto Carballes Baena in straight sets, as he chased the last remaining hard court Masters 1000 event he is yet to bag in his career.

The world No. 4 needed just under 90 minutes to complete his win.

“It was not an easy match. The rallies are slow here so 1:30 for 6-2, 6-3 is pretty long. But I know how to play well in these long rallies,” Medvedev said. “I think I had the match under control. He managed to play one very good game at 4-2, but I was like, ‘Okay, I just have to continue’, and I managed to find a way.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas got past Frances Tiafoe 6-3 6-3 with little trouble, with the defeat meaning that the beaten American will drop out of the world top 20.

Alex de Minaur was victorious over Alexander Bublik, and Fabian Marozsan won 6-2 6-2 over Thiago Seyboth Wild.

The round-of-16 matches will take place on Tuesday.

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10 questions for the top ATP 10 at Indian Wells: Is Sinner the favourite?

The top stars from the ATP and WTA tours will be battling it out at Indian Wells over the next fortnight.

Carlos Alcaraz is the defending men’s champion while Elena Rybakina won the women’s title in 2023.

As the tournament gets underway in California we pose 10 questions for the top 10 players on each tour, starting with the ATP Tour…

Novak Djokovic

Was Australian Open just a blip? Novak Djokovic will return to Indian Wells for the first time since 2019, having not been able to play the last few years due to being unvaccinated. In terms of win rate this is one of Djokovic’s most successful Masters events (five titles from 14 appearances and a 50–9 win-loss record). However, he hasn’t made it past the fourth round since his last win in 2016. His below-par showing at the Australian Open, where he was totally outplayed by Jannik Sinner in the semis, also raised a slight question about whether his unbeatable aura is slipping.

Carlos Alcaraz

Will Alcaraz consider changes? Indian Wells in 2022 was one of the first big events where Carlos Alcaraz really burst onto the scene, lighting up the tournament with a spectacular brand of tennis to reach the semis. He has continued to entertain and thrill crowds plenty since then, but the results have not been quite as red hot as the performances over the last six months. He has not reached a final since Cincinnati last summer and has lost three of nine matches this season. Might a tweak be in order after suggestions at the Australian Open that he was too much of a “showman” at times?

Jannik Sinner

Is Sinner the favourite? Recently described as “the big one right now” in men’s tennis by Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner enters Indian Wells riding a 15-match winning streak. He hasn’t lost since being beaten by Djokovic in the final of the Nitto ATP Finals in December and looks set for a very big year if his sizzling form continues. With confidence levels sky high, he should start as the favourite for the title.

Daniil Medvedev

Can Medvedev solve “energy” puzzle? Daniil Medvedev has probably had an 8/10 or 9/10 start to the season, reaching the Australian Open final and semis in Dubai. But the slightly surprising message after defeat to Ugo Humbert in Dubai was that more “energy” is needed for him to have success at Indian Wells. “It could be physical. It could be mental. Sometimes you need one break point… here I didn’t have it. As I say, the actual reason I don’t know. I have a possibility that it was injury, whatever. But this has to change if I want to win next tournaments, if I want to be better.” At his best, Medvedev is a definite contender.

Andrey Rublev

Can Rublev learn and move on from Dubai drama? There were many who felt Andrey Rublev’s disqualification for shouting in the face of a linesman in Dubai was just, and others who felt it wasn’t. Rublev’s response also garnered a mixed response, with plenty feeling he should have done better with his apology, which was left to the end of his statement and didn’t seem that heartfelt. Controlling his emotions on court seems an issue that Rublev needs to work on and perhaps this incident will bring about much-needed change.
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Highlights: Rublev defaulted in Dubai for unsportsmanlike conduct

Alexander Zverev

Contender or not? Alexander Zverev looked almost at pre-2022 French Open injury level when he reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open, especially in his impressive quarter-final win over Carlos Alcaraz. Then he lost in the Los Cabos semis and cut a frustrated figure after losing his opening match at the Mexican Open. Which makes it hard to assess whether he’s a leading challenger for the title in Indian Wells or not.

Holger Rune

Will Mouratoglou partnership sparkle? Holger Rune’s first week with Patrick Mouratoglou back on his coaching team produced a decent result as he made the semi-finals of the Mexican Open. Having been called a “rough diamond” by former coach Boris Becker at the Australian Open, it’s clear that Rune still has plenty to shine up, and Mouratoglou might be the best person for the job.

Hubert Hurkacz

How far can tie-breaks take Hurkacz? Hubert Hurkacz plays a lot of tie-breaks. He’s played 19 matches this year and all but three have had at least one tie-breaker. In his last five matches he’s contested 10 tie-breakers. Is that a recipe for success? It seems to be working out pretty well for big-serving Hurkacz, who’s made two quarter-finals at Indian Wells and could go as far again if – stating the glaringly obvious – he is sending down bags of aces.

Casper Ruud

Can Ruud continue impressive form? Casper Ruud has had a sneaky-unexpectedly good start to the year. After a dip in 2023, he’s just made back-to-back finals in Los Cabos and Acapulco and has been playing some excellent tennis again, His strong February, which included wins over Stefanos Tstisipas, Holger Rune and Ben Shelton, has got him back in the top 10 and with not many points to defend until the clay season he’s one to watch over the Sunshine Double.

Alex de Minaur

Will scrambling skills make De Minaur a genuine threat? There was a point in the final of the Mexican Open that highlighted everything that Alex de Minaur is best at. It was De Minaur scrambling around the court, chasing down shots, anticipating the next one and putting balls back into play, before Ruud eventually missed and was left only with a wry smile on his face. De Minaur, who has been compared to former world No. 3 David Ferrer by Todd Woodbridge, has also added more to his game than just elite scrambling over the last year and could be a threat at Indian Wells.

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Indian Wells: Last dance for Murray and Nadal? Swiatek eyes glory and more

Indian Wells is here.

It will feature almost all of the top stars from both tours, including Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff.

Who are the players to watch, what are the top takeaways from the draw, what are the big talking points? We run through everything you need to know ahead of Indian Wells…

Djokovic makes Indian Wells return

Five years after his last appearance at Indian Wells, Novak Djokovic is back.

The five-time champion has been unable to travel to the USA for the last few years due to being unvaccinated against Covid, so has missed out on playing the Sunshine Double. He returns with a few things on his mind.

There’s the chance to win a record-extending 41st Masters title and the opportunity to open up a significant lead at the top of the world rankings as he has no points to defend over the next month. He will also be looking to show he remains the best around after being dispatched by Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open semis in his last match.

Last dance for Murray and Nadal?

This could well be the last time that Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray play Indian Wells.

Nadal has said that this might be his final season on tour as he battles injuries and Murray has recently said he is unlikely to play the beyond the summer. Nadal has a great history at Indian Wells, which has been his second-most successful hard-court Masters event behind the Canadian Open, and made the final on his last appearance in 2022. Murray has not had as much success and it is one of only two Masters tournaments along with Monte Carlo that he hasn’t won.

Sinner looks to keep winning

The last time Jannik Sinner lost a match was in the final of the Nitto ATP Finals.

He’s 12 for 12 this year, winning the Australian Open and then following up with success in Rotterdam. Described as “the big one right now” in men’s tennis by Daniil Medvedev, Sinner has certainly been playing the best tennis of anyone on the ATP Tour this year and if continues to play at the level he did in Melbourne he should be the favourite for the title.

Alcaraz aims for return to best

Carlos Alcaraz’s preparation for Indian Wells has not been ideal.

After a flat showing in the Australian Open quarter-finals he was beaten in the Buenos Aires semis by Nicolas Jarry, and then in Rio he had to withdraw just two games into his first match after injuring his ankle.

The ankle looked to be fine during an exhibition in Las Vegas with Rafael Nadal, but how will it hold up with back-to-back Masters events? And will it limit his explosive shot-making skills?

Is Draper best of the Brits?

It was Indian Wells in 2021 where Cameron Norrie won the first Masters title of his career. He has followed that up with two quarter-final runs at the tournament over the last two years and a repeat showing would see the British No. 1 hit 200 career wins.

British No. 2 Dan Evans is also targeting a landmark of 150 wins – he needs two to reach that total – but the biggest British threat could be Jack Draper.

Draper showed again what a talented player he is by reaching the Mexican Open semis without dropping a set. He took a set off eventual winner Alex de Minaur before having to retire from their semi-final due to illness. Described by De Minaur as a “hell of a player, a hell of a talent”, Draper has the game and form to make a run at Indian Wells.

WTA ‘Big Four’ set to do battle

This time last year there was talk about a ‘Big Three’ on the WTA Tour, now it’s a ‘Big Four’ of Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff.

The four have won seven of the last eight Grand Slam titles and have shared all of the big titles so far this season, aside from Dubai.

It’s difficult to know which of the four starts as favourite. Sabalenka was ridiculously good in winning the Australian Open but then lost on her return in Dubai to Donna Vekic. Swiatek was brilliant in February after losing early in Melbourne, while Rybakina has the most match wins (17) on the WTA Tour this season. Gauff hasn’t been quite at the level of the other three in 2024 but made the Australian Open semis and looks to have quite a kind draw at Indian Wells.

It’s hard to imagine that at least one of them won’t be in contention for the title on March 17.

Swiatek out to avoid Australian Open repeat

If Swiatek does make the final she will have done it the hard way.

The world No. 1 has been handed a repeat of her Australian Open draw as she could open against Danielle Collins, who she beat in three sets in Melbourne, and might then face Linda Noskova, who pulled off an upset win over Swiatek just six weeks ago.

A couple of big-hitters could await if Swiatek gets further, with Jelena Ostapenko a potential quarter-final opponent and defending champion Elena Rybakina the seeded opponent in the semis.

Swiatek was excellent in February as she bounced back impressively from her early Australian Open exit and she will need to hit top gear from the start at Indian Wells.

Sabalenka lands in loaded quarter

Sabalenka looked simply unstoppable at the Australian Open at the start of the year and if she hits that level again she will be a very tough opponent for anyone.

However, she is in an intriguing part of the draw.

Along with world No. 2 Sabalenka in the bottom quarter are fifth seed Jessica Pegula, ninth seed Maria Sakkari, 16th seed Elina Svitolina, and 30th seed Yastremska.

Sabalenka has the power to blow any of those off the court, but Pegula might have something fresh with a new coaching team and Sakkari has a new coach and a solid record at Indian Wells, where she has made the final and semis in the last two years. Svitolina could also be a difficult opponent.

Having played just one match since winning the Australian Open, Sabalenka might have to hit the ground running at Indian Wells.

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Top 5 shots 2024 Australian Open – The best shots from women’s singles champion Aryna Sabalenka

Boulter leads Brits after San Diego win

Katie Boulter had the best week of her career in San Diego as she beat five top-50 players to win the title. Now up to No. 27 in the world rankings, Boulter is playing some of the most exciting tennis of her career and has the chance for another breakthrough run in Indian Wells. She has, though, been handed a tricky draw as she is unseeded. She opens against Camila Giorgi and could then meet 26th seed Noskova, followed by world No. 1 Swiatek in the third round.

Wild card Emma Raducanu opens against a qualifier before potentially meeting 30th seed Dayana Yastremska in the second round and then world No. 2 Sabalenka in round three.

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‘Nothing stops here’ – Boulter aims for more after San Diego title triumph

Osaka looks to keep building

Naomi Osaka’s comeback picked up a bit of pace in Doha as she beat Caroline Garcia and Petra Martic on her way to the quarter-finals, where she was edged out by Karolina Pliskova in a tight contest.

Osaka, who gave birth to her daughter Shai last summer, looked to be finding some form after losing three of her first four matches of the season. The former world No. 1 opens up against a qualifier and then could face Coco Gauff in the quarters.

Two other mums, Caroline Wozniacki, who came out of retirement last summer after giving birth to two children, and Angelique Kerber, who gave birth last February, are also in the main draw.

Is this Williams’ Indian Wells farewell?

While Nadal and Murray have seemingly signalled their intentions to hang up their racquets pretty soon, nobody quite knows when Venus Williams is going to retire.

The 43-year-old said recently that she was told by younger sister Serena that she is “not allowed to quit” – and she will be back at Indian Wells for the first time since 2019 after getting a wild card.

Williams, who is set to face a qualifier in the first round, hasn’t played since the US Open due to injuries. She is also planning to play the Miami Open.

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‘The guy is a machine’ – Long-time Bayern fan Medvedev talks Kane

Tennis star Daniil Medvedev has declared Harry Kane as a “machine”, as the long-time Bayern Munich fan – speaking exclusively to Eurosport – assessed how his team might fare in this season’s UEFA Champions League.

Medvedev became a fan of German giants Bayern in childhood, and regularly follows the fortunes of his team while globetrotting with the ATP Tour.

Bayern, of course, have a new striker in their midst this term in the shape of Harry Kane.

And even if his team has spluttered through their season so far – losing in the German Cup to third-tier Saarbrucken, slipping behind Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga and facing an uphill task to qualify for the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals having lost their last-16 first leg to Lazio 1-0 – the England captain has taken to life in Bavaria like a duck to water, and he looks on course to break the record for most goals in a Bundesliga season.

“Harry Kane is amazing – in my opinion, he’s playing so good,” Medvedev told Eurosport. “I played fantasy so I saw it already in Tottenham – the guy is a machine.

“The way he controls the game is pretty surprising for someone of his complexion [profile], in a way for football.

“We see playmakers, usually bit smaller guys, and the one that can go with the body. So yeah, he’s a big, big player.”

Bayern face their second leg with Lazio on March 5, and while Medvedev thinks “anyone” can win the tournament, he sees two main threats for the trophy.

“Champions League, we have Real Madrid, Manchester City that are going very strong – they showed it [in their first legs],” he said.

“But I think what is good about Champions League, in my opinion anyone can win it.

“Inter were so close last year to winning it, and now in a way are even kind of in the favourites group – but I think last year after the group stage, they were nowhere close to being the favourites.

“That’s why Champions League is nice, it’s two matches, penalties, in my opinion anyone can win it, so I will just watch it and enjoy.”

Medvedev has previously described how he came to support Bayern so fervently.

“I really fell in love with soccer and with Bayern when I was maybe 12 years old,” he said. “That’s when it really started. But even before that, when I was 6 years old, I remember that I already liked Bayern.

“They were really good at that time and I remember telling my parents that Bayern is playing, we need to watch it. But when I was 12, I really got into soccer, so I said to myself: ‘I need a team now’.

“When I was younger I supported CSKA Moscow, but they were not playing in the Champions League or when they were playing in it, they would often lose.

“So I needed a team in Europe that I could support and be a fan of. So I remembered that I really liked Bayern and said: ‘That’s my team now’.

“That’s how I chose my team, and from that point on obviously, I started to really like certain players of Bayern and it became bigger and bigger for me.”

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Draper powers into Mexican Open quarters, Medvedev reaches semi-finals in Dubai

Jack Draper reached the quarter-finals of the Mexican Open with a straight-sets win over Yoshihito Nishioka.

The British No. 3 fired down 11 aces and saved all three break points he faced to win 6-3 6-0.

Draper will next take on Miomir Kecmanovic, who is ranked three places below him at No. 53 in the world.

Draper has lost just seven games in his two matches in Acapulco and was in control early against Nishioka as he opened up a 3-0 lead.

He dropped just one point behind his first serve, winning 18 of 19 points, as he took the set in 42 minutes.

The second set flew by as Draper dominated, breaking three times and losing just three points on his serve.

Defending champion Alex de Minaur has also dropped just seven games so far after reaching the quarter-finals with a 6-1 6-3 win over Sebastian Ofner.

“I’ve got a very big heart, I’ll tell you that,” said De Minaur after the win.

“This heart is going to keep me going, no matter what the score is, where I’m at, what stage of my career I am [in]. It’s what’s gotten me to this point so far, and it’s what’s going to hopefully get me further and further.”

De Minaur won 90% of his first-serve points and broke serve five times to set up a meeting with fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.

“It’s all about trying to put as much pressure as I can on my opponents every single service game,” De Minaur added.

“And no matter what the result is in that game, just always try to stay in there and try to win a couple points here and there. To be honest, I don’t think I’m doing anything special out there. I’m just asking the question.”

Tsitsipas beat Italian qualifier Flavio Cobolli 6-3 7-6(6) to make the last eight.

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Murray says he will ‘likely not play past this summer’, aims to finish at Wimbledon or Olympics

Tsitsipas recovered from 5-2 down in the tie-breaker to win, having also missed the chance to serve for the match at 5-4 up.

“It’s not an easy mountain to climb being 5-2 down and having your opponent serve twice,” Tsitsipas said.

“It’s quite an incredible comeback to be honest in this part of the match, especially when the momentum shifts and changes so quick after serving for the match.

“It’s something that you do not expect and there’s definitely a lot of doubt creeping through your mind. I think at this particular moment I was just able to compose myself really well and I refused to go to a third set, which was very important.”

Casper Ruud secured a top-10 return with a 6-4 7-5 victory over Dusan Lajovic.

Former world No. 2 Ruud is now 11-2 for the season and will next face Ben Shelton, who beat Matteo Arnaldi 7-6(1) 3-6 6-3.

Holger Rune saved all seven break points he faced to beat Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6(5) 6-2 and set up a quarter-final with Dominik Koepfer, who upset eighth seed Frances Tiafoe 6-4 5-7 6-1.

Daniil Medvedev was among those to reach the semi-finals at the Dubai Open.

His title defence at the ATP 500 event continued with a comprehensive 6-2 6-3 victory against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

The world No. 4 remained in control throughout the encounter, making just six unforced errors as he triumphed in 89 minutes.

Medvedev will next play the winner of Hubert Hurkacz’s match against Ugo Humbert as he looks to put his Australian Open final loss to Jannik Sinner behind him.

Andrey Rublev and Alexander Bublik also reached the semi-finals in Dubai following retirements.

Second seed Rublev was 6-4 4-3 up when Sebastian Korda retired from their quarter-final clash.

Bublik led 6-4 4-1 when Jiri Lehecka pulled out of their match.

Bublik is set to move into the top 20 for the first time next week and will face Rublev in the quarters.

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‘An inspiration of mine’ – Medvedev will be ‘sad’ to see Murray retire from tennis

Daniil Medvedev has hailed Andy Murray as an “inspiration” and says it will be “sad when he retires” from tennis.

That could mean he will play his last tournament in Paris at the Olympic Games, which he has won twice.

Asked about Murray’s announcement, Medvedev said: “First of all, he’s a fun guy, a great guy to be around. That’s always a great quality in life.

“For sure he’s an inspiration of mine because I remember when I was just going up the rankings, that’s the moment when he was winning Slams, playing finals against Roger [Federer], Rafa [Nadal] and Novak [Djokovic]. So the ‘Big Four’.

“It’s going to be sad when he retires. Even I’m definitely not sure that he’s going to stop this year.

“Wimbledon is a big tournament, maybe Wimbledon and then stop. But while he’s here, it’s going to be fun. [When] he’s not here, I’m sure he’s going to find a good spot in his life after tennis.”

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Murray says he will ‘likely not play past this summer’, aims to finish at Wimbledon or Olympics

Medvedev has also said Jannik Sinner has proved he is the “big one” right now on the ATP Tour, but he is not “scared” by the prospect of facing him.

Sinner has enjoyed a dream start to the 2024 season, winning all 12 matches he has played to lift the Australian Open title and triumph in Rotterdam.

He also finished 2023 by helping Italy win the Davis Cup and reaching the final of the Nitto ATP Finals.

Along the way he’s beaten Novak Djokovic in three of their last four meetings and overcome Medvedev in their last four successive matches, including in the Australian Open final.

“He just plays better,” said Medvedev about Sinner.

“Maybe the first match in Beijing [in October 2023] when he managed to beat me for the first time, he mixed up some things comparing to before. Then in the next matches I just feel like he plays better than before.

“Before the matches were tough when I won them, but he could miss here and there, break point, miss a first serve, a forehand straightaway. Now it doesn’t happen anymore. Even if he does, he’s going to make a good shot. For me that happened. He just started playing better.

“Mentally, I honestly don’t feel like I’m scared or anything like this. It’s just you know before the match it’s a tough match. He’s playing very good.

“You need to be at your absolute best. All the shots have to be perfect to try to win the match. Even that could be not enough, like it was in Australia.

“That’s a force that big tennis players have, and he’s definitely the big one right now.”

Sinner is currently ranked at No. 3 in the world rankings behind Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.

Medvedev is one spot behind at No. 4, having lost to Sinner in the final of the Australian Open.

The Russian led by two sets to love against Sinner, just as he did in the 2022 final when he let a commanding lead slip against Rafael Nadal.

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Australian Open final highlights: Sinner stuns Medvedev in comeback to win first Grand Slam

Asked whether the loss to Nadal was a “lesson” for him, Medvedev said: “For sure I’m still disappointed because that one was close. Closer than the Jannik match.

“Also mentally with the crowd and this and that. Somewhere in the match I really felt like I’m there, not that I have to win it, but I was really close in my mind.

“Not sure it’s even a lesson. I would prefer not to have this lesson. But in life not everything goes as you prefer. So this happened. I have to go on from it. I would say I hope that it was a lesson and I can take anything from it. Even if not, I just have to forget it and go.”

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Indian Wells 2024: When does it start? When is the draw? Who’s playing?

Indian Wells is almost here.

One of the biggest tournaments outside of the Grand Slams, Indian Wells is the first combined ATP and WTA 1000 event of the season and will feature almost all of the top men’s and women’s players.

Carlos Alcaraz will be the defending men’s champion while Elena Rybakina will be defending her women’s title.

When does Indian Wells start? What time will play start in the UK? What’s the schedule? And who’s playing? Here’s everything you need to know about Indian Wells 2024…

When does Indian Wells start?

Qualifying starts on Sunday, March 3, with the men’s and women’s main draws beginning on Wednesday, March 6.

Both finals will be held on Sunday, March 17.

What’s the schedule for Indian Wells?

Play will start each day at 7pm UK time, with night sessions getting under way at 2am UK time.

The play on finals day will start at 7pm UK time

Indian Wells 2024 schedule

  • Sunday, March 3 – Tuesday March 5 – Qualifying
  • Wednesday, March 6 – Men’s and women’s singles first round
  • Thursday, March 7 – Men’s and women’s singles first round
  • Friday, March 8 – Men’s and women’s singles second round
  • Saturday, March 9 – Men’s and women’s singles second round
  • Sunday, March 10 – Men’s and women’s singles third round
  • Monday, March 11 – Men’s and women’s singles third round
  • Tuesday, March 12 – Men’s and women’s singles fourth round
  • Wednesday, March 13 – Men’s and women’s singles fourth round
  • Thursday, March 14 – Men’s and women’s singles quarter-finals
  • Friday, March 15 – Women’s singles semi-finals, men’s doubles final
  • Saturday, March 16 – Men’s singles semi-finals, women’s doubles final
  • Sunday, March 17 – Men’s and women’s singles finals

When is the Indian Wells draw?

The men’s and women’s draws will be on Tuesday, March 5 starting at 8pm UK time.

Where is Indian Wells held?

The tournament is played on outdoor hard courts at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in southern California.

Who’s playing at Indian Wells?

Indian Wells will feature most of the leading lights on the ATP and WTA tours.

Djokovic has not played the tournament since 2019 as he has been unable to travel to the US due to previous entry rules.

He hasn’t made the quarter-finals of Indian Wells since lifting the title for a fifth time in 2016.

Nadal made the final in his last appearance at Indian Wells in 2022 and will be making his return to the court after suffering injury in Brisbane early in the season.

Indian Wells is one of two Masters events, along with Monte Carlo, that Murray has not won.

Carlos Alcaraz will be defending his men’s title, as long as he has recovered from the ankle injury that saw him pull out of the Rio Open early into his opening match.

Daniil Medvedev could also be among the leading contenders for the title.

Women’s world No. 1 Iga Swiatek will be aiming to win her second Indian Wells title after success in 2022.

She will face strong competition from Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka and last year’s Indian Wells winner Elena Rybakina.

Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula be looking to make their mark on home soil and Naomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber will be back at Indian Wells after giving birth.

Two wild cards have been given to Venus Willians and Caroline Wozniacki, while Petra Kvitova and Belinda Bencic will not play as they are pregnant, and 2023 French Open runner-up Karolina Muchova misses out due to injury.

Which British players are playing Indian Wells?

British No. 1 Katie Boulter has direct entry into the Indian Wells main draw for the first time in her career and might be joined by Jodie Burrage and Harriet Dart, who will enter qualifying.

Emma Raducanu’s participation is not confirmed and she might be waiting to see if she gets a wild card to play.

The British men’s contingent will feature Andy Murray, Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans and Jack Draper.

Liam Broady will hope to make the main draw through qualifying.

What’s the Indian Wells prize money?

The total prize money at Indian Wells will be $19 million (£16.24m), which is an increase of over $1.4m (£1.197m) from last year.

The two singles champions will each receive $1.1m (£940,940).

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