INDIAN WELLS, CALIF./WASHINGTON, March 19, 2024 (by Michael Dickens)
When Carlos Alcaraz secured championship point to win his second consecutive BNP Paribas Open title in the southern California palm desert Sunday evening, defeating Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (5), 6-1, he became the first man since Novak Djokovic won three in a row from 2014 to 2016 to successfully defend his Indian Wells title.
“It’s never easy,” the World No. 2 Alcaraz admitted, during his post-match news conference, after he was showered with plenty of applause from the fans who filled Stadium 1 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden as well as by the colorful confetti during the victory ceremony.
“I think it’s even more difficult if it’s a Masters 1000. I’m really happy to show really good tennis this tournament. It’s a really special place for me. Yeah, really happy to be able to defend the title here in Indian Wells.”
VAMOS 🙌 @carlosalcaraz | #IndianWells | #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/GFxlTUMXi0
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 18, 2024
Alcaraz defeated the World No. 3 Medvedev for the second straight year at Indian Wells after winning 6-3 6-2 in 2023. Sunday’s title was his first since winning the Wimbledon Championships last July.
“It’s definitely your court – you like it here,” Medvedev told Alcaraz during the trophy ceremony. “Hopefully, you can one day let me play a little bit better here.”
Alcaraz, whose status for Indian Wells was tentative after suffering an ankle strain playing on clay in Rio de Janeiro last month, which resulted in a first-round retirement, was asked by a reporter what the most important lesson he could take away from winning Indian Wells. He answered: “That you can overcome all the problems you have.
“It doesn’t matter what problems you have. If you believe in yourself, you have a really good team around, you work hard, everything can turn around.”
Confetti & Carlos 🎊🏆@carlosalcaraz | #IndianWells | #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/Mp1go00xHG
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 17, 2024
While Alcaraz’s mood and demeanor in triumph on court was filled with smiles, the 20-year-old Spaniard confessed later he felt troubled the past few months.
“Well, yeah, it’s difficult to put into words because I had really difficult months,” he said. “Let’s say the last two months it was difficult for me to find myself. I didn’t enjoy … stepping on the court. I wasn’t myself on the court.
“It means a lot to me, lifting this trophy, winning this tournament, because I overcame a lot of problems in my head, a lot of problems physically.”
While Alcaraz suggested it didn’t matter or not whether he wins tournaments, it’s the personal feelings that matter most. Now, with a solid 12-3 win-loss record, it’s onward to the Miami Open, an ATP Masters 1000 tournament he won in 2022, where he will be the No. 1 seed.
“It’s about enjoying playing tennis, once I step on the court,” Alcaraz said after winning Indian Wells. “It’s what only matters.
“That’s why I’m really, really happy to lift this trophy, because I found myself at this tournament, and I felt really good.”
The moment @carlosalcaraz defended his title 🏆#IndianWells | #TennisParadisepic.twitter.com/kyP20j2zfm
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 17, 2024
Something else that is making Alcaraz smile and feeling a sense of pride is he’s gone from being the learner to one whom others are looking to in order to learn from.
“Well, it feels great,” Alcaraz said beaming a smile. “I mean, obviously it means that I’ve done really good work in a short period. With my team, we did the right things. We followed all paths. I think that’s really a good point for me.
“I’m still learning from the players. I’m not gonna lie. I’m still learning how to play against different players. A lot of times on the tour you have to adapt your game. …”
Oh come ON 🤯@carlosalcaraz | @DaniilMedwed | #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/erlIpYukri
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 17, 2024
Medvedev, for one, admitted in his post-match news conference Sunday evening that playing Alcaraz makes him adapt his game.
“Carlos, his ball goes so fast that it goes fast from the beginning to the end,” he said. “Basically, it’s an advantage. It’s an advantage because when we played some rallies today, there were not so many, but when I managed to set up a rally, I felt like the only thing I can do is hit strong but not really put him in trouble, and when he makes one good shot I’m in trouble and I lose the point.
“It’s tough. Mentally it’s not easy to play against this. Yeah, to be honest, in [the] second set, I felt a little bit out of solutions. Yeah, it’s not an easy feeling, because you have to try to do better.
“But that’s how I felt and I know that, for example, in [the] US Open I managed to find the solutions. Different court, different situation. But even if I play him again here, this year was better than last year, 100 percent, I’m going to try to do even better. Maybe one set next time, and then hopefully two sets.”
Genuine respect@carlosalcaraz | @DaniilMedwed | #TennisParadise | #IndianWells pic.twitter.com/1tnCzqQZxg
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 17, 2024
The bottom line, according to Alcaraz, is simple. “Of course, every match I’m playing I want to focus on myself, on my own game, but you have to, you know, think a little bit to your opponent as well, what he thinks, his style, and a part of that you have to set the tactics,” he said.
“I’m still learning from them, but it’s great to know that I’m the guy who makes them trouble and want to practice to, you know, learn a little bit from me as well.”
