Carlos Alcaraz benefits from retirement and goes smoothly to the quarter-finals of Indian Wells, also defending champion Iga Swiatek to the next round

Nineteen-year-old Alcaraz can regain first place in the ATP ranking in California over Novak Djokovic. He must then win the tournament. The Serb is missing from Indian Wells because he has not been vaccinated against the corona virus and is therefore not allowed to enter the United States.

Alcaraz’s next opponent is the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime (ATP 10), who was too strong for the American Tommy Paul (ATP 19) in three exciting sets. It became 3-6, 6-3 and 7-6 (8/6). Auger-Aliassime had to clear six match balls.

Earlier Tuesday evening, Daniil Medvedev (ATP 6) overcame an ankle injury against the German Alexander Zverev (ATP 14). The Russian, the fifth seed, went down in the second set and then received medical treatment for a long time. He had previously lost the first set and a defeat seemed inevitable. But Medvedev regained his rhythm and reached the quarterfinals after winning in three sets (6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/5) and 7-5). It was the Russian’s seventeenth victory in a row. He came to Indian Wells with titles in his pocket in Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai.

Medvedev will meet Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ATP 28) in the last eight. He won 6-3 and 6-4 against the Chilean Cristian Garin (ATP 97).

Swiatek remains on course for another victory

Defending champion Iga Swiatek smoothly reached the quarterfinals on Tuesday at the WTA 1,000 tournament in Indian Wells (hard court / $ 8.8 million) on Tuesday. The 21-year-old Polish, the number one in the world, settled in her eighth final in one hour and 24 minutes with the British Emma Raducanu (WTA 77), the 2021 US Open winner. The set positions were 6-3 and 6-1.

Swiatek can become the second tennis star to succeed in extending her title at the prestigious tournament in California. Previously, only the Czech-American Martina Navratilova did it in 1991.

The Polish will meet the Romanian Sorana Cirstea (WTA 83) in the quarterfinals. She surprisingly put the French Caroline Garcia (WTA 5) aside in three sets (6-4, 4-6 and 7-5).

Aryna Sabalenka (WTA 2) lost a set to the Czech Barbora Krejcikova (WTA 16) in her fourth round. The Belarusian made it through, thanks in part to eleven aces. The set positions were 6-3, 2-6 and 6-4. Sabalenka, winner of the Australian Open in January, will compete for a place in the last four against American Coco Gauff (WTA 6), who turned 19 on Monday and was too strong for Swedish qualifier Rebecca Peterson a day later (WTA 103). It became 6-3, 1-6 and 6-4.

The Greek Maria Sakkari (WTA 7), last year’s losing finalist in Indian Wells, also made it to the last eight. She beat the Czech Karolina Pliskova (WTA 17) after a nail biter 6-4, 5-7 and 6-3. Another Czech awaits in the last eight with Petra Kvitova (WTA 15). He dragged himself past the American Jessica Pegula (WTA 3) in an extremely exciting tiebreak (6-2, 3-6 and 7-6 (13/11)).