Alcaraz Takes On Draper, Medvedev-Zverev Rivalry Resumes In Indian Wells

All eight quarter-final spots are up for grabs on Tuesday in Indian Wells, the place the 16 remaining gamers within the draw search fourth-round success on an action-packed day on the 2023 BNP Paribas Open.

High seed Carlos Alcaraz continues his marketing campaign on the opening ATP Masters 1000 occasion of the 12 months — and his bid to return to No. 1 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings — in opposition to big-hitting lefty Jack Draper. Daniil Medvedev seeks to increase his 16-match profitable streak in a heavyweight conflict in opposition to Alexander Zverev, whereas Eleventh seed Jannik Sinner faces a rejuvenated Stan Wawrinka.

With High 10 stars Taylor Fritz, Andrey Rublev and Felix Auger-Aliassime additionally in fourth-round motion, ATPTour.com previews a mouth-watering Day 7 within the California desert.

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[1] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) Vs. Jack Draper (GBR)

For the third match in a row, Alcaraz takes on a British lefty. The Spaniard went 1-1 in opposition to Cameron Norrie on clay in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro in February, however it’s the highly effective Draper who stands in Alcaraz’s manner on Tuesday as he goals to maintain his Indian Wells title bid on monitor.

The pair met for the primary time on Tour in October in Basel, the place Alcaraz overcame a quick Draper begin to earn a three-set victory. The 19-year-old is greater than conscious of the hazard offered by the World No. 56 Draper, who is taken into account some of the thrilling younger gamers on Tour and is but to drop a set on his Indian Wells debut.

“I do know he is actually good participant,” mentioned Alcaraz of Draper after the Spaniard defeated Tallon Griekspoor within the third spherical on Monday for the one centesimal tour-level win of his profession. “He is taking part in properly. He has overwhelmed nice opponents like [Daniel] Evans and Andy [Murray]. I do know that I’m going to must play my finest, give my 100% on court docket… It’ll be a very robust match and I’m going to take pleasure in [it].”

Draper definitely possesses the weapons to harm Alcaraz when the pair kicks off Tuesday’s night time session on Stadium 1. On Monday, the 21-year-old navigated windy desert situations to defeat one other former World No. 1 in Murray, and the Briton’s serve and forehand could possibly be notably essential if he’s to make sufficient dents in Alcaraz’s strong defence to seal the most important win of his profession by Pepperstone ATP Rating.

“I wish to carry on making an attempt to impose my sport and use my weapons,” mentioned Draper, who reached his first Masters 1000 quarter-final in Montreal final 12 months, after his third-round win. “It isn’t straightforward in these situations… The wind was a bit swirly and clearly taking part in in opposition to Andy, he makes it extremely awkward for you. It is one thing I am seeking to enhance with my coach and it is positively beginning to repay just a little bit extra.”

Thriving on the BIG stage! 💪 @jackdraper0 | @BNPPARIBASOPEN | #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/Zv2kNI64YU

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 14, 2023

Draper will possible have to seek out his finest degree once more if he’s to be the one to cease Alcaraz from profitable his third Masters 1000 title this fortnight, nevertheless, and the Spaniard has double motivation to go all the way in which in Indian Wells. By claiming the trophy, Alcaraz would leapfrog Novak Djokovic to say the No. 1 spot within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the primary time since January.

[5] Daniil Medvedev Vs. [12] Alexander Zverev (GER)

Medvedev and Zverev share a 6-6 ATP Head2Head sequence report. Remarkably, all 12 of their earlier tour-level conferences have been performed on arduous courts.

Whereas that development will proceed with Tuesday’s fourth-round conflict on Stadium 1, it is going to be the primary time the pair has confronted off within the distinctive desert situations of Indian Wells. Zverev sealed a straight-sets victory within the pair’s most up-to-date tour-level conflict on the 2021 Nitto ATP Finals, however Medvedev sees Tuesday’s encounter as a basically completely different contest as a result of comparatively slower courts in California.

“Each match in opposition to such a prime participant is a brand new begin,” mentioned Mevedev after defeating Ilya Ivashka on Sunday. “Each match he tries to adapt, I attempt to adapt. I bear in mind he did very properly in Turin to beat me… He was serving nice… [But I think that] is just a little bit much less vital right here in Indian Wells. I am certain we’ll have lots of rallies. It’ll come right down to who makes the very best shot to attempt to put your opponent off steadiness, which isn’t straightforward to do right here.”

Medvedev arrived in Indian Wells after lifting three ATP Tour trophies in three weeks (Rotterdam, Doha, Dubai) and the 27-year-old has thus far overwhelmed Brandon Nakashima and Ivashka in California to increase his profitable streak to 16 tour-level matches. That red-hot run might make Tuesday’s conflict really feel like a frightening prospect for Zverev, however it should additionally function a helpful barometer of his progress since he returned to Tour in January after lacking seven months with a severe ankle damage.

“Daniil might be the very best, perhaps the second-best participant after Novak, proper now,” mentioned Zverev, after the five-time Masters 1000 champion held off Emil Ruusuvuori within the third spherical. “I’m fairly certain I’m not the favorite. Particularly the place I’m coming from and the place’s he’s coming from. However we at all times have very attention-grabbing matches so hopefully it’s going to be one other one.”

[11] Jannik Sinner Vs. Stan Wawrinka (SUI)

There’s unlikely to be a lot holding again from the baseline through the last match of the day on Stadium 3 as Jannik Sinner and Stan Wawrinka meet at an ATP Masters 1000 occasion for the primary time.

The Eleventh-seeded Sinner is into the fourth spherical for a 3rd consecutive 12 months in Indian Wells however is but to advance to a quarter-final. He can be eager to construct on his 14-3 begin to the 2023 season, which features a run to his seventh ATP Tour title in Montpellier, by treading new floor in ‘Tennis Paradise’.

After shedding his first two tour-level matches in opposition to the previous World No. 3 and 2017 Indian Wells finalist Wawrinka, Sinner clinched victories ultimately 12 months’s Wimbledon and in Rotterdam in Feburary to degree the pair’s ATP Head2Head sequence at 2-2. Wawrinka can be feeling assured after taking out seventh seed Holger Rune in a tense third-round conflict in California, nevertheless, as he bids for his first Masters 1000 quarter-final look for the reason that 2020 Rolex Paris Masters.

Additionally In Motion…

A trio of People search to journey house assist to a quarter-final spot on Tuesday, and all three face opponents they’ve by no means confronted earlier than at Tour-level. The best-ranked amongst them is World No. 5 and defending champion Taylor Fritz, who dropped simply three video games in opposition to Sebastian Baez in his third-round match. The 25-year-old meets World No. 84 Marton Fucsovics on Stadium 1.

Tommy Paul is chasing his first quarter-final look in Indian Wells, however the seventeenth seed has a tricky project in opposition to eighth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, whereas 14th seed Frances Tiafoe takes on Chilean qualifier Alejandro Tabilo.

The opening ATP motion on Stadium 3 sees the ability of sixth seed Andrey Rublev collide with the consistency of tenth seed and 2021 champion Norrie conflict in an intriguing collision of gamestyles. On Stadium 4, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina seems to snap the impressed run of Cristian Garin, who has gained all 10 units he has performed in Indian Wells this fortnight throughout two qualifying and three main-draw matches.