Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are just one match away from setting a juicy semi-final encounter after the pair progressed into the last eight at the 2024 BNP Paribas Open.
The Spaniard was first to book his quarter-final spot, winning his 9th straight match in Indian Wells with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Fabian Marozsan.
Sinner then moved past Ben Shelton in the night session with a steady 7-6(4) 6-1 victory to maintain his unbeaten start to 2024.
In the other two round of sixteen matches, Sascha Zverev overcame Alex de Minaur 5-7 6-2 6-3. The German has made a solid start to the season, bagging some big wins at the United Cup and he’s somewhat under the radar given Sinner’s exploits.
Jiri Lehecka then dominantly defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Czech, who’s been practising with Coach Tomas Berdych all week, hit some Birdman-esque heavy forehands in his win, overpowering the 11th seed from the baseline.
Day Seven 2024 BNP Paribas Open Round of 16 Results
| Winner | Loser | Scoreline |
|---|---|---|
| Carlos Alcaraz (2) | Fabian Marozsan | 6-3 6-3 |
| Jannik Sinner (3) | Ben Shelton (16) | 7-6(4) 6-1 |
| Alexander Zverev (6) | Alex de Minaur (10) | 5-7 6-2 6-3 |
| Jiri Lehecka | Stefanos Tsitsipas (11) | 6-2 6-4 |
Alcaraz Lands 50th Masters 1000 Win
Carlos Alcaraz is through to the quarter-finals in Indian Wells with a 6-3, 6-3 victory, avenging last year’s Rome loss to Fabian Marozsan.
After dropping a set in his opening match in the desert, the Spaniard has kicked on to look increasingly dangerous as he bids to defend his title.
After a close couple of games in the opening set, from 2-3 onwards, Alcaraz reeled off four straight games to land the opening set, dominating from the baseline.
In particular, he liked Marozsan’s second serve, limiting the Hungarian to winning just 38% of points behind it.
Honestly I was nervous before the match, I’m not going to lie. Playing against someone who beat you easily — I remember I had no chances in the match in Rome. It was difficult for me today to approach the match, but I’m really happy with the way that I did. I started pretty well, playing my style since the beginning. Today I knew what I had to do better than I did in Rome. Alcaraz on avenging his loss to Marozsan.
Slick Sinner Shuts Down Shelton
Jannik Sinner extended his unbeaten run in 2024 with a 7-6(4), 6-1 victory over Ben Shelton.
Shelton, known for his firepower on serve and the forehand, went down an early break in the first set due to a double fault, but his heavy hitting helped him find a way back into the set, breaking back when Sinner served for it at 5-4.
However, after recovering to 4-4 in the tiebreak from 1-4 down, the 16th-seeded American ran out of steam as Sinner took charge, taking the breaker 7-4 and winning the first three games of the second set.
A double break cemented things, and he cruised to the second set 6-1 to progress in 1 hour and 38 minutes.
For my money, Sinner is the best hard-court player in the world, and he’s become super steady from the baseline. He always had that firepower, but his movement and physicality are much better, and the mistakes are few and far between.
For sure it was a different matchup. I knew that obviously playing against him, there’s not so much rhythm. But I think I can be really proud about how I played. I just tried to stay positive. There were tough moments, especially in the first set. I’m really happy that I won that, and obviously started really positive in the second set, which gave me a lot of confidence. Sinner on his win over Shelton.
Other Matches of Note
- Zverev Fights Off de Minaur: A 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 win for the 6th seed, who’s had a very solid start to the year and snapped de Minaur’s seven-match winning streak.
- Lehecka Topples Tsitsipas: The Czech dominated with a 6-2, 6-4 win. His forehand took apart Tsitsipas from the baseline. Stefanos’s backhand appears to have regressed, and once he’s pinned on that wing, it’s a matter of waiting for the short ball and clearing up.
Indian Wells Day 8 Round of 16 Matches
- Casper Ruud (9) vs Gael Monfils
- Luca Nardi (LL) vs Tommy Paul (17)
- Daniil Medvedev (4) vs Grigor Dimitrov (13)
- Taylor Fritz (12) vs Holger Rune (7)
This website aggregates and curates news articles, blog posts, and other content from a variety of external sources. While we aim to link back to the original source, this site does not own or claim ownership of any articles, posts, or other content indexed on this site. The views, opinions, and factual statements expressed in each piece of aggregated content belong solely to its respective author and publisher. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of aggregated content. Visitors are advised to verify facts and claims through the original source before reuse or redistribution.
