Carlos Alcaraz demonstrated the difficulty of stopping him at the 2025 Indian Wells Open by overpowering Grigor Dimitrov to advance to the quarterfinals.
The two-time defending champion in Indian Wells defeated Denis Shapovalov 6-2, 6-4 in the round of 32. Shapovalov, showing good form this year, never had a chance against Alcaraz’s powerful play.
Dimitrov secured his spot against Alcaraz after a thrilling victory over Gael Monfils in a decisive-set tiebreak, delivering arguably the match of the tournament that captivated fans.
Facing Alcaraz following such a demanding contest was a tough challenge for the 34-year-old Dimitrov, but he drew on the confidence from his last two victories against the Spaniard.
A strong start was crucial for Dimitrov after his efforts against Monfils, but the opposite unfolded. Alcaraz seized his second break point in the opening game, establishing an early lead in the set.
From that point forward, Dimitrov struggled to match the intensity, despite not playing poorly himself. Alcaraz maintained relentless pressure throughout.
Dimitrov finally got on the board after saving a break point to bring the score to 2-1 in Alcaraz’s favor, but that moment marked the pinnacle of the set for him.
Alcaraz dominated, winning the last four games to close the first set at 6-1. He lost only four points on serve and remained untouchable in front of the crowd on Court 1.
After Alcaraz held to love at the start of the second set, Dimitrov faced more break points but managed to fend them off, including a stunning backhand overhead smash that thrilled the fans.
However, this did not change the momentum. Alcaraz held with ease, and Dimitrov soon found himself down 0-40. He saved the first two, only to falter on a backhand into the net on the third, granting Alcaraz another break.
For the first time, Dimitrov applied some pressure on Alcaraz’s serve when the Spaniard made some unforced errors, but the Bulgarian squandered three chances to break back due to a volley winner, a backhand error, and an ace.
After that, Dimitrov’s body language visibly sagged. A missed passing shot led to another break for Alcaraz, who then served out the match with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 victory in one of the most dominant performances of his career.
Alcaraz will face Francisco Cerundolo in the quarterfinals, where the Argentine will need to deliver a near-perfect match to challenge the world No. 3.
Speaking after defeating Shapovalov, Alcaraz mentioned how fans dressed as bees motivated him, referencing the infamous bee incident from last year’s event, but against Dimitrov, he required no external inspiration, simply showcasing his outstanding skills.
