Carlos Alcaraz continues winning streak by progressing to Indian Wells quarter-finals

[p]World number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Alcaraz[/a], who lifted the trophy in the prestigious ATP Masters 1000 in the California desert in 2023 and 2024, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/alcaraz-garfia-c-UkhgIFEq/ruud-c-zN9UpRqp/?mid=Ai2VvikD"]was untouchable in the first set[/a], conjuring winners of every angle to every corner of the court.[/p][p]A pair of unlikely lob winners had fans gasping in the third game, and he made it 4-0 with a high backhand volley winner that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ruud-casper/zN9UpRqp/"]Ruud[/a] couldn't reach.[/p][p]"[b]My first set, I think I was unplayable to be honest,[/b]" Alcaraz said. "[b]I was really, really happy about playing at that level.[/b]"[/p][p]Ruud stepped it up in the second set, but even he could only smile when Alcaraz seized a 5-1 lead in the tiebreaker with another leaping backhand volley, the Spaniard closing proceedings fittingly with a backhand winner.[/p][p]"[b]The conditions were difficult, to be honest,[/b]" said Alcaraz, who played in chillier night weather in his tough three-set win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rinderknech-arthur/pIxZZsof/"]Arthur Rinderknech[/a] in the third round.[/p][p]"[b](It was) really hot ... the ball was tough to control. It comes super-fast, it bounces super-high. But I think we played great, both of us.[/b]"[/p][p]Alcaraz, 22, became the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam with his victory at the Australian Open.[/p][embed guid="9a208cf7-8f4f-448e-b46a-29f1f6622207" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2031878252541931563?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]He followed that up with the Qatar Open title and with three wins under his belt in Indian Wells is now 15-0 on the season.[/p][p]Alcaraz will face 29th-ranked Briton [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norrie-cameron/pvzhJGY8/"]Cameron Norrie[/a] for a place in the semi-finals after Norrie beat Australian qualifier [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hijikata-rinky/f9eT4NTQ/"]Rinki Hijikata[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/hijikata-r-f9eT4NTQ/norrie-c-pvzhJGY8/?mid=4p6Ux1WH"]6-4, 6-2.[/a][/p][p]Norrie won the Indian Wells title in 2021, when the tournament was pushed to October amid the Covid-19 pandemic.[/p][p]The experienced Briton elected to receive in the first game and took advantage of a nervy start from 117th-ranked Hijikata to gain the lone break of the opening set.[/p][p]Hijikata settled in on serve, but Norrie saved the only break point he faced to pocket the set and broke twice in the second to polish off a stress-free victory.[/p][p]Later Wednesday, five-time champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/djokovic-novak/AZg49Et9/"]Novak Djokovic[/a] seeks his first Indian Wells quarter-final appearance since his last title run in 2016 [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/djokovic-n-AZg49Et9/draper-j-SWxNhpmK/?mid=KYeODYuh"]when he takes on defending champion[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/draper-jack/SWxNhpmK/"]Jack Draper[/a].[/p][p]Djokovic, playing his first tournament since falling to Alcaraz in the Australian Open final, has had to battle through a pair of three-setters to reach the fourth round for the first time in nine years.[/p][p]In Draper, he faces a player on the comeback trail. The Briton's Indian Wells triumph last year launched his rise to fourth in the world.[/p][p]But he then missed the better part of six months with an arm injury and arrived for his title defense ranked 14th.[/p][p]The winner of that match will take on 11th-ranked Russian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/medvedev-daniil/O8qG0Nhb/"]Daniil Medvedev[/a], a two-time Indian Wells finalist who beat 21-year-old American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/michelsen-alex/nDIhfm9l/"]Alex Michelsen[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/medvedev-d-O8qG0Nhb/michelsen-a-nDIhfm9l/?mid=8tomcY4s"]6-2, 6-4[/a].[/p]