Felix Auger-Alisim bows to Carlos Alcaraz at Indian Wells

The Spaniard, who lost in his first three meetings with the Canadian on the track, won in sets 6-4, 6-4 on Thursday to reach the semi-finals of the Indian Wells Masters 1000.

But Auger-Aliassime made his rival work for him to secure the victory. Tenacious, he saved four break points before finally giving up. This is the only time one player can serve the other during the first clash.

Breaking for a second time opening the second half, Auger-Aliassime responded immediately to bring the score back to par. Both men played highly, but Alcaraz was decisive in the crucial moments and broke through Auger-Aliassime again to get a serve opportunity for the match.

Alcaraz, who is aiming for a third Masters 1000 title, also has the world number one in her sights. He will have to continue his winning streak into the semi-finals against Yannick Sinner, 13th in the world, who qualified there by defeating defending champion Taylor Fritz (5) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the end of a big showdown.

He took revenge on the American who knocked him out in the eighth round, two years ago, in the California desert, in their first confrontation.

Extremely strong, showing no flaws in his game, and changing his shots extremely well to make his opponent run, Sinner delivered a flawless result in the first term. He took his opponent’s serve from the first match and wasn’t worried about serving his return.

In the second set, the wind began to pick up and Fritz competed better in the rallies, firing some powerful forehands to counter the Italian’s heavy backhand. And he was able to take the only opportunity that presented itself at 5-4 to steal the counter commitment and finally tie the game.

Both players, in turn, lost their serve at the start of the third set. But then Fritz was on edge, saving three break points at 1-1, then another at 3-3. The fifth chance was good for Sin’er.

The first Italian to reach the round of four in the California desert, he will try to reach his second final in the Masters 1000 category, after losing in Miami in 2021 against Paul Hubert Hurkacz.

Iga Swiatek’s 16 wins of the season are in two sets.

Photo: Getty Images/AFP/FREDERIC J. BROWN

Swiatek and Rybakina in the semi-finals

World No. 1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek swept in two sets 6-2, 6-3 Romanian Sorana Cirstea (83) to reach the semi-finals, where Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina was waiting for her. .

The 21-year-old, who was looking for a double in the California desert achieved only by Martina Navratilova in 1991-92, never backed down against an opponent she had defeated in 2022 in Melbourne, in their first encounter.

Bold, sharp, confident in tennis, Swiatek conquered and dominated the exchanges, and Cirstea didn’t let faith in the feat, even as the latter erased a break in the first set to come back at 2-1.

This fleeting rush had the effect of refilling the Pole, winner of last year’s Roland Garros and US Open titles, who once again rallied to win the first round.

The 32-year-old Romanian, who clinched her qualification in the quarter-finals by defeating the odds against Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia (fifth), tried to resist in the second set, after trailing 4-0. I was able to get Swiatek to serve again, but it only served to push the deadline back, after 1 hour and 22 minutes of play.

I started well in each heat and was able to finish cleanly, so…Hot in court, summed up a matter of satisfaction.

With this 16th victory of the season, all in two races, Swiatek confirms her rise to power in Indian Wells.

But she should be wary of Rybakina, winner at Wimbledon last year and runner-up in Melbourne in January. On her way, she sent her tenth in the world from the eighth finals. Elena is playing very well, but I will be readyI warned.

The 23-year-old Kazakh player did not have an easy match against Machuva, who won his first meeting, at the 2019 US Open; Lost a round for the first time in the tournament.

She first had to erase a break in the first set, then save a set point at 5-4, before making the difference in the deciding match.

In the aftermath, Rybakina lost her commitment again without this time being able to catch up. The 26-year-old Czech, who was not restricted for her first participation in the event, was bolder than her competition.

The Kazakh regained the upper hand in the final chapter. She managed to step up her game and pick up the pace. But she had to be patient, as she squandered two match points against the opponent’s serve before wrapping up in the third with a header, her sixth of the match.

The match was very difficult. I was not serving as I wanted. I had to raise my levelhung hot Rybakina, in search of a fourth title on the WTA circuit which for the first time joins the final four of the Masters 1000 tournament.