Alcaraz stings Zverev, sets up Indian Wells semi-final showdown with Sinner

A bee invasion delayed Carlos Alcaraz’s charge into the BNP Paribas Open semi-finals, but the buzzing insects couldn’t stop it.

Following a break of almost two hours at 1-1 in the first set, Alcaraz came back out and wasted no time crushing Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-1 during quarter-final competition on Thursday evening. The world No 2 set up a Saturday showdown against Jannik Sinner after one hour and 29 minutes of play.

Alcaraz produced an especially incredible serving display. He put 79 of his first serves in play, won 87 percent of his first-serve points and did not face a single break point. Alcaraz dropped a mere six points on serve in the entire match.

Since dropping his first set of the fortnight to Matteo Arnaldi, Alcaraz has been rolling. The 20-year-old overcame Arnaldi 6-7 (5), 6-0, 6-1, beat Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-2, 6-3, and coasted past Fabian Marozsan 6-3, 6-3.

Zverev previously knocked off Australian Christopher O’Connell (6-4, 6-4), Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, the No 27 seed (7-6 (7), 6-3) and Australian Alex De Minaur, the No 10 seed (5-7, 6-2, 6-3).

Alcaraz, Sinner to square off for ninth time

Alcaraz and Sinner will be facing each other for the ninth time in their career on Saturday afternoon (eighth on the main tour). The head-to-head series is all tied up at 4-4, or 4-3 in Sinner’s favor if you don’t count a 2019 Challenger result on the red clay of Alicante.

This is a rematch of the 2023 Indian Wells semis, won by the Spaniard 7-6(4), 6-3.

Indian Wells Masters 1000, other last 8 results:

• Daniil Medvedev vs. Holger Rune
• Tommy Paul (17) beat Casper Ruud (9): 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
• Jannik Sinner beat Jiri Lehecka (32): 6-3, 6-3

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