Alcaraz, Swiatek claim titles
Carlos Alcaraz arrived at Indian Wells full of doubt about his twisted right ankle. He’s leaving as a two-time champion.
Alcaraz defeated Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (5), 6-1 for the second straight year in the BNP Paribas Open final on Sunday, earning his first title since winning Wimbledon last year.
Iga Swiatek beat Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-0 in just over an hour to win the women’s title, with Swiatek losing just 21 games in six matches during the 12-day tournament — an average of 3.5 games per match. Swiatek improved to 20-2 this year.
Alcaraz and Swiatek each earned $1.1 million (U.S.). That’s less than the $1.26 million the champions received in 2023. This year, more prize money was allocated to earlier rounds.
Alcaraz sprained his ankle at the Rio Open in late February. His first practice at Indian Wells lasted 30 minutes without any movement. His first practice with his fellow pros “was really tough for me,” he said in a Tennis Channel interview.
Alcaraz outlasted Jannik Sinner in a three-set semifinal after needing three sets to get out of his second-round match.
“After every match I was feeling better,” Alcaraz said. “I was getting more confident after every match.”
Alcaraz became the first man to defend his Indian Wells title since Novak Djokovic won three in a row from 2014-16. He beat Medvedev 6-3, 6-2 last year in the Southern California desert.
“It’s definitely your court, you like it here,” Medvedev told Alcaraz during the victory ceremony. “Hopefully you can one day let me play a little bit better here.”