Alcaraz to face Argentine Cerúndolo in Indian Wells quarterfinals

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the Indian Wells quarterfinals on Wednesday, where he will face Argentina's Francisco Cerúndolo. The day also saw local stars Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff suffer defeats.

Alcaraz closed out the round of 16 at this ATP Masters 1000 with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 victory over Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, who had won their two previous meetings.

The former world number one has won 15 consecutive matches in the Californian desert, where he aims to become champion on Sunday for the third consecutive year, a feat only achieved by Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

The 21-year-old Alcaraz will look for his fourth semifinal appearance at Indian Wells on Thursday, where he will face Cerúndolo (26th ATP), whom he defeated in their only previous meeting in 2024 on the grass at Queen's.

"He's playing very well," Alcaraz said at the press conference. "I don't know which surface is his favorite, clay or fast court. Even grass as well. That means he is a complete player."

"I will have to concentrate on my tennis, on the things I have to do. I will try to play aggressive, with passion, but it's going to be a tough one," he said.

Cerúndolo, ATP No. 26 and the only Latin American representative in the round of 16, defeated Australian Alex de Miñaur, a new member of the top 10, 7-5, 6-3 on Wednesday in a match where he saved a set point.

Cerúndolo aims to reach his second Masters 1000 semifinal, after his run in Miami in 2022, buoyed by his impressive streak against some of the top players on the circuit.

With Wednesday's victory, the Argentine extends his impressive record to six wins in his last seven matches against top-10 players at the Masters 1000 level.

"To be able to win these matches always gives me illusion and confidence for the opponent that comes, be it a top-10 or any other," Cerúndolo told AFP. "I can win and I can lose, but I know I have the conditions to play a good match."

"I'm working hard to be uone day in the same ranking as these players, because I've already beaten them. I need to maintain consistency," said the South American player and winner of three ATP titles.

Fritz bids farewell in front of his home crowd

Alcaraz and Russian Daniil Medvedev (6) are the only remaining players from the top 10 after the departures of De Miñaur (10) and Taylor Fritz (4) on Wednesday.

The Californian succumbed to the UK's Jack Draper 7-5, 6-4, seeing his dream of clinching a second title in front of his home crowd, after 2022, come to an end.

Draper will face Ben Shelton, the last American standing, on Thursday.

Shelton defeated fellow American Brandon Nakashima 7-6 (8/6), 6-1, and at 22, he is the youngest American to reach the quarterfinals since Andy Roddick in 2004.

Keys, the last hope

In the WTA 1000, Coco Gauff faced more disappointment in Indian Wells, losing to Belinda Bencic, who is enjoying a successful return to the courts after her maternity leave.

Bencic, who entered the event by invitation, came back from a set down against the world number three to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The Swiss, an Olympic champion at the Tokyo 2020 Games, eventually toppled her biggest victim since her October return to competition after giving birth to her first daughter.

Last month, she conquered the Abu Dhabi WTA 500 tournament, becoming the first mother to win a title since Elina Svitolina in May 2023.

"During the match I was telling myself that it doesn't matter if I don't win this match, I already won one in life, I have a beautiful family," Bencic said. "I still want to win in tennis but my priorities have changed."

Bencic's quarterfinal opponent will be Madison Keys, the last hope in American women's tennis for her first title since Serena Williams in 2001.

Keys, the flamboyant champion of the last Australian Open, endured a tough battle to defeat Croatia's Donna Vekic 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-3.

On the other hand, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one, advanced with little trouble against British Sonay Kartal (83), winning 6-1, 6-2.

The winner of three Grand Slam titles required only 72 minutes to reach the top eight at Indian Wells, one of the few major hard-court tournaments that has eluded her.

Her opponent on Thursday will be Russian Liudmila Samsonova, who beat Italian Jasmine Paolini in two sets.