Alcaraz to face Sinner in last four
Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz beat Felix Auger-Aliassime for the first time in his career to book a semi-final clash with Jannik Sinner at Indian Wells.
Women’s top seed Iga Swiatek lined up a last-four grudge match against Elena Rybakina, who stunned the Polish world No.1 in the quarter-finals at the Australian Open in January.
Alcaraz posted his first victory over Auger-Aliassime in four meetings with a 6-4, 6-4 win to keep his bid to regain the world No.1 ranking on track.
“It’s wonderful to beat Felix finally, and the way I did it, playing at a great level,” said Spain’s Alcaraz, 19, who called it perhaps his best match of the season.
Italy’s Sinner reached the final four with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory over defending champion Taylor Fritz and now has a chance to avenge his loss to Alcaraz in an electrifying quarter-final at the US Open last year.
That five-set battle lasted five hours and 15 minutes, its 2.50am finish the latest in US Open history.
Alcaraz would go on to lift the trophy and become the youngest world No.1 in the history of the ATP rankings.
“We’ve played several times and all the matches have been very tough,” Alcaraz said. “I like this kind of challenge, I’m going to enjoy it.”
Sinner defied difficult, windy conditions to outgun Fritz, gaining the decisive break in the ninth game of the third set when his pounding forehand to the corner forced the miss from the American.
Sinner polished it off with a hold at love after two hours and 17 minutes.
“I knew the last games would be tough to close it out,” Sinner said. “I just tried to play quite aggressively, which I’ve done.”
Swiatek, the defending Indian Wells champion and winner of the French and US Opens last year, swept past 83rd-ranked Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 6-3.
Wimbledon champion Rybakina, who fell to Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final, outlasted 76thranked Czech Karolina Muchova 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 6-4.
“She’s playing really well and in semi-finals you always are going to play against the top players, so I’ll be ready,” Swiatek said of taking on Rybakina.