The men’s semifinals were underway Saturday at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, with No. 2 seed Jannik Sinner of Italy taking on No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev of Germany, followed by top seed Carlos Alcaraz against 11th-seeded Daniil Medvedev of Russia in the nightcap.
“I feel like I’m playing great,” Medvedev said on Thursday after dismissing defending champion Jack Draper, 6-1, 7-5. “I never want to jump into conclusions [and say] best tennis of my life or whatever. I’m playing very good. I feel like the court is a bit faster since the two times I have played him. The balls are different. So I feel like it’s a good chance to try to show my best tennis against him.”
Alcaraz holds a 6-2 lifetime record against Medvedev, and has won each of their last four meetings.
Sinner dispatched 20-year-old Learner Tien of Irvine on Thursday, 6-1, 6-2, while Zverev beat France’s Arthur Fils, 6-2, 6-3.
“It’s always a challenge,” Zverev said of playing Sinner, who leads their head to head series, 6-4. “He’s been one of the two best players in the world the last two years. Him and Carlos won all the Grand Slams and all the big events. Of course it’s a challenge, but it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to.”
Sunday’s women’s final will feature top-seeded and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus against third-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan.
“Of course I’m going to fight as much as I can, and hopefully it’s going to be a great match,” Rybakina said after beating ninth-seeded Elina Svitolina on Friday night, 7-5, 6-4. She has now won 12 straight matches against top 10 players.
Earlier Friday, Sabalenka cruised past Czechias’ Linda Noskova, 6-3, 6-4.
Rybakina defeated Sabalenka in the 2023 women’s final at Indian Wells, 7-6, 6-4.
“I’m so done losing these big finals,” Sabalenka said Friday of her recent close calls, which also included a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 loss to Rybakina in this year’s Australian Open final. “It felt like even though players were playing incredible tennis in those finals, I had so many opportunities that I didn’t use. And right now my mentality is that if I make it to the final, I’ll go out there and do everything I can — and everything I cannot — to get that trophy.”
The men’s final will also take place Sunday, tentatively scheduled for 3 p.m., or after the conclusion of the women’s final. More information can be found at bnpparibasopen.com.