Home INDIAN WELLS TENNIS Alcaraz Cruises Past Dimitrov, Djokovic Wins, Draper Launches Title Defence with Comeback Win

Alcaraz Cruises Past Dimitrov, Djokovic Wins, Draper Launches Title Defence with Comeback Win

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Alcaraz cruises past Dimitrov at Indian Wells

Carlos Alcaraz dominates Grigor Dimitrov at Indian Wells. Novak Djokovic overcomes Kamil Majchrzak in a tough match. Jack Draper rallies to beat Roberto Bautista Agut in Indian Wells. Joao Fonseca and Taylor Fritz survive nail-biters at the BNP Paribas Open.


“I love being here so much, I think that's why I'm just playing...”


World number one Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the third round of the Indian Wells ATP Masters with a dominant 6-2, 6-3 win over Grigor Dimitrov. The Spanish star, who won the Australian Open earlier this year, extended his unbeaten streak to 13 matches in 2026, completing the match in just 66 minutes.


Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic had a tougher time, coming from behind to defeat Kamil Majchrzak 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. The five-time Indian Wells champion, who struggled in recent years, showed resilience to overcome the Polish player's strong start.


Alcaraz, who followed up his Melbourne triumph with a title in Doha, said he's loving the conditions in Indian Wells. “I love being here so much, I think that's why I'm just playing relaxed, playing calm, chilling,” he said.


Djokovic, who hasn't reached the quarterfinals here since 2016, was relieved to escape with a win. “It's kind of hard to find my A-game, particularly at the beginning of the tournament,” he said.


Novak Djokovic, the five-time Indian Wells champion, had a tough time against Kamil Majchrzak, needing two hours and 12 minutes to secure a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 win. The 57th-ranked Polish player gave Djokovic a run for his money, but the Serb eventually found his rhythm and asserted his superiority.


Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz was untroubled by Grigor Dimitrov, dominating the Bulgarian 6-2, 6-4 in just 66 minutes. Alcaraz was wary of Dimitrov, but he was in control throughout, firing powerful and accurate shots from the baseline.


Alcaraz was in cruise control, barely breaking a sweat as he dominated Dimitrov 6-2, 6-3. He even cracked plenty of smiles, showing off his relaxed vibe. The world number one saved the lone break point he faced in the second set and even shared a high-five with Dimitrov on a changeover.


Alcaraz was beaming with confidence, saying, “In general just really happy with the things that I've done today.” The 22-year-old Spaniard has been on fire, and his Australian Open triumph made him the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam.




Alcaraz has kept the momentum going, adding the Qatar Open title before heading to Indian Wells to chase a third crown. He's chasing history, and it seems like nothing can stop him 


Carlos Alcaraz is loving every moment in Indian Wells, saying, “I love being here so much, I think that's why I'm just playing relaxed, playing calm, chilling.” The world number one has been on fire, dominating Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-4 in just 66 minutes.




Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic has had a tougher time in California, despite sharing the record for most Indian Wells ATP titles with Roger Federer. The five-time champion had to grind for two hours and 12 minutes to defeat Kamil Majchrzak 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, admitting, “It's kind of hard to find my A-game, particularly at the beginning of the tournament.”



Novak Djokovic had a tough battle on windy Stadium Court, needing two hours and 12 minutes to overcome Kamil Majchrzak 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. Majchrzak grabbed two quick breaks in the opening set, but Djokovic found his rhythm and asserted his dominance.


“Kamil is a very solid player,” Djokovic said. “He doesn't have tremendous power, but he has every shot in the book and he was not afraid to come in and take the ball early.”




Djokovic praised his opponent, saying, “He played a tremendous first set. I kind of reset and started feeling the ball better.” The Serb turned the match around, breaking Majchrzak twice to take a 5-2 lead in the third set and eventually closing it out with a backhand volley winner.


The match was a thrill ride, with extended rallies, including a 40-shot exchange in the opening game of the third. 


Novak Djokovic's win was a huge confidence booster, especially given his recent struggles in California. He's tied with Roger Federer for the most Indian Wells titles, but hasn't made it past the quarterfinals since his last win in 2016.


Djokovic is now chasing a record-breaking sixth title, which would put him ahead of Federer's five wins. The 38-year-old Serb is determined to make a statement, and his comeback win against Kamil Majchrzak was a great start.


Djokovic's recent Indian Wells form hasn't been great. Last year, he lost to Dutch lucky loser Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round, and a year before, he fell to Italian lucky loser Luca Nardi in the third round. This year's win over Majchrzak is a step in the right direction for the five-time champ.


“It's kind of hard to find my A-game, particularly at the beginning of the tournament,” he said. “So just glad to overcome a challenge.”


Draper Launches Title Defence with Comeback Win

Britain's Jack Draper kicked off his Indian Wells title defence with a thrilling 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut. This marks a strong start for Draper, who is looking to replicate his success from last year when he stunned the tennis world by defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the semis and Holger Rune in the final to claim the title.




Draper's journey to this point hasn't been easy, having taken an eight-month break due to a left arm injury. Despite this, he's shown promising signs, including a win over Quentin Halys in Dubai followed by a loss to Arthur Rinderknech.


Draper's Indian Wells win was a huge turning point, catapulting him to a career-high ranking of fourth in the world. However, he's had to take a step back, returning to California in rebuilding mode after a pesky arm injury cut short his 2025 season.


“It was difficult,” the oft-injured Draper, now ranked 14th, said of his latest comeback bid. “Even though from the moment I got here last week, I have felt the love and special feelings being back here, but at the same time I haven't played in a long time and have had a difficult injury, so mixed emotions.


“But I am really glad with the way I came through in the second and third sets against a formidable opponent in Roberto.”


Thrilling Upsets in Indian Wells

Unseeded Joao Fonseca pulled off a huge upset, saving two match points to beat 16th-seeded Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-4. Meanwhile, seventh-seeded Taylor Fritz had a nail-biter against Briton Jacob Fearnley, squandering four match points in the second set before holding on for a 6-3, 6-7(8), 6-1 win.





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