Medvedev and Alcaraz in the final of Indian Wells

Unbeaten in 19 matches, the 27-year-old Russian will try to win his fourth tournament in a row after Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai on Sunday against Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz (second).

Against Tiafoe, who was playing his first semi-final of a tournament in this category immediately after the Grand Slam, Medvedev was very consistent and often impassable. Sending everything backwards, he often pushed his opponent, especially on the backhand, to foul.

The Russian took his time in the first set, breaking 6-5, after failing the first three chances with the score tied at 2-2. At that point, Tiafoe hit a few uncrossed forehands and fired volleys, celebrating his beautiful gesture, as he often does, by rubbing his thumb and forefinger together, like a chef sprinkling seasoning on his flat.

It’s not enough to upset Medvedev, who gave up just three points in six service matches this round.

The winner at Flushing Meadows in 2021 broke away the next day, breaking from the start, thanks to a looping pass, which had enough impact to chomp down the line.

Tiafoe, who thrilled New York fans by reaching the last four at the US Open last year, is still fighting back. After a failed chance to fend off the break 3-2, he succeeded 5-4, after a double fault from the Russian.

Medvedev, who, meanwhile, wasted three match points, got a little angry … to resume serving the American better. But four more chances to finish his serve weren’t enough and he had to break even.

A decisive game that he mastered, and he was able to conclude his eighth point in the match with a winning service in an hour and 46 minutes, which is his fifth victory in many confrontations with the American.

And Medvedev seemed solid in his tennis, as it seemed in his full possession, after spraining his right ankle in the round of 16, before ousting German Alexander Zverev in more than three hours of intense struggle. He also hit his right thumb in quarters, which didn’t stop him from beating Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich.

Alcaraz wins ahead of Sinner

Meanwhile, world number 2 Carlos Alcaraz qualified for the final by defeating The Authority 7-6 (7/4) and Italian Yannick Siner (13th place) 6-3.

The 19-year-old Spaniard could return to the ATP throne if he wins the title on Sunday.

This final duel, in the California desert, between the last two winners of the US Open was expected in the absence of Novak Djokovic, who was denied entry to the country because he had not been vaccinated. And he seems very hesitant, as the two players have been on a roll for several weeks now.

I am an ambitious man. I want to play against the best players in the world. Because in order to be the best, you have to outdo the best. And I would say Daniel is the best player at the moment. It will be a tough challenge to overcome, but I am ready. I will do my best in the finalAlcaraz expect.

The Spaniard had to recover from a thigh injury he picked up in January. Since then he won in Buenos Aires and gave up only in the final in Rio de Janeiro against Britain’s Cameron Norrie.

It is clear that in Indian Wells, where he is one square ahead, since Rafael Nadal stopped him in the semi-finals last year, his rise in power is confirmed with each match.

His reunion with Sinner, six months after the Homeric-turned-turn-in-his quarter-final duel at Flushing Meadows, after 5:15 a.m. of an extraordinary fight, attests to that.

Because the Italian, who was also in good shape, on the heels of winning the title in Montpellier, before a final loss in Rotterdam in February, drew only this time in the first round.

He might regret that missed point at 6-5, because Alcaraz looked somewhat overheated. But the latter quickly tightened the screws on the tiebreaker, returning each ball with his passes to it Iberian speed. On one of them, Sener hesitated and made a mistake, giving his opponent a chance that he did not miss, with a large cross.

I knew I had to raise my level to get past Jannik. He was very tight in the first round. The second time I calmed my nerves, I played more relaxed, and that was the key to everythingIt is to explain.

At the start of the second round, the prodigy from Murcia already pleased to serve the Italian, again at the expense of an exceptional defense, punctuated by the entire line lob, under the eyes of the legendary experts Rod Laver and those jubilant singer P! nk and actress Charlize Theron.

Alcaraz, who was also the most daring and sharpest at this meeting (28 winning blows against 15), never hesitated to maintain this advantage, without giving up the slightest breaking point to his opponent, and closed the deal at 1:52 with a huge forehand slap.