Alcaraz beats Norrie to extend unbeaten run and set up Medvedev semi at Indian Wells

[p]The world number one from Spain emerged from a see-saw battle with 29th-ranked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norrie-cameron/pvzhJGY8/"]Norrie[/a] with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/alcaraz-garfia-c-UkhgIFEq/norrie-c-pvzhJGY8/?mid=l0M0GsKD"]6-3, 6-4[/a] victory.[/p][p]He will meet Russian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/medvedev-daniil/O8qG0Nhb/"]Daniil Medvedev[/a], who pushed his own ATP winning streak to eight matches with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/draper-j-SWxNhpmK/medvedev-d-O8qG0Nhb/?mid=GSkTVyxi"]6-1, 7-5[/a] victory over defending champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/draper-jack/SWxNhpmK/"]Jack Draper[/a].[/p][p]World number two [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sinner-jannik/6HdC3z4H/"]Jannik Sinner[/a] powered past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tien-learner/xUHOBJK6/"]Learner Tien[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/sinner-j-6HdC3z4H/tien-l-xUHOBJK6/?mid=pYhKbJFk"]6-1, 6-2[/a] to line up a semi-final with fourth-ranked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zverev-alexander/dGbUhw9m/"]Alexander Zverev[/a], a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/arthur-f-IoIhUqIN/zverev-a-dGbUhw9m/?mid=nTVr3kE4"]6-2, 6-3[/a] winner over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arthur-fils/IoIhUqIN/"]Arthur Fils[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Alcaraz[/a], 22, became the youngest player to complete a career Grand Slam with his victory in the Australian Open and followed up with a title in Qatar.[/p][p]He pushed his 2026 season record to 16-0 with the win over Norrie, who beat him in the Paris Masters in November.[/p][p]"I struggle a lot with his style," Alcaraz said of heavy-hitting left-hander Norrie.[/p][p][b]"Every time I play against him it’s always really tough for me.[/b][/p][p][b]"It's a little bit confusing with his style, his topspin forehand, super high. And then the backhand, really flat and really low."[/b][/p][embed guid="a5e70f6a-05b5-446b-942f-2ddfd59d72e4" url="https://x.com/i/status/2032304682928951704" social-type="twitter" /][p]Trailing 4-2 in the opening set Norrie broke Alcaraz at love for 4-3. Alcaraz regrouped with another break and pocketed the set in 31 minutes.[/p][p]Norrie broke again for a 2-0 lead in the second, but Alcaraz won the next four games.[/p][p]Norrie saved two match points on his serve before Alcaraz efficiently served out the win.[/p][p][b]"I’m finding the right shot," [/b]Alcaraz said.[b] "I played well. I played solid. I played aggressive when I could."[/b][/p][p]Medvedev, coming off a title run in Dubai last month, seized control early against Draper, who had pulled off a gritty win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/djokovic-novak/AZg49Et9/"]Novak Djokovic[/a] on Wednesday night.[/p][p][b]"The first set was unreal, I couldn’t miss a ball," [/b]Medvedev said.[b] "It was an unbelievable level.[/b][/p][p][b]"Second set he tried to give everything he had, and he had an opportunity," [/b]Medvedev noted, but the Russian saved the only break point he faced with an ace.[/p][embed guid="a9eee1ef-5128-4df3-8faf-8420090a0e43" url="https://x.com/i/status/2032277784316272985" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Hindrance call[/h2][p]Medvedev then secured the lone break of the second to lead 6-5.[/p][p]Draper was irked early in that 11th game when the chair umpire, queried by Medvedev, ruled the Briton had caused a hindrance with a raised arm gesture during a point.[/p][p]Medvedev said he was distracted and the umpire told him it could go to video review, and subsequently awarded the Russian the point.[/p][p]"Was I distracted big time? No," Medvedev said, but added he thought Draper's gesture affected the quality of one of his forehands in the rally.[/p][p][b]"Do I feel good about it? Not really," [/b]he said.[b] "But I also don't feel like I cheated or something."[/b][/p][embed guid="dfb9f774-7cc1-4ea8-83b9-1ec9fc266807" url="https://x.com/i/status/2032299932947005764" social-type="twitter" /][p]In the other half of the draw, Sinner kept his bid for a first Indian Wells title on track with a straightforward victory over 20-year-old American Tien.[/p][p]Sinner capitalised on a double fault from Tien for a break in the second game and cruised from there, breaking Tien four times and saving all four break points he faced.[/p][p]Tien, who saved a pair of match points in his quarter-final win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/davidovich-fokina-alejandro/0zQXLfz4/"]Alejandro Davidovich Fokina[/a], appeared to be hurting in the second set.[/p][p]Sinner, who had trouble himself in the steamy conditions at the Australian Open, said the hot afternoon weather wasn't an issue.[/p][p][b]"Today I felt really good on court," [/b]he said.[b] "It's for sure an area where I'm trying to improve given the problems I've had in Australia."[/b][/p][p]Zverev reached the Indian Wells semi-finals for the first time with a similarly comfortable victory over France's Fils.[/p][p]Zverev became just the fifth player to reach the semi-finals of all nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments.[/p]