Top seeded Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek cruised into the quarter-finals at Indian Wells on Tuesday after in-form Daniil Medvedev braved injury in an emphatic three-set victory over Alexander Zverev.
Alcaraz, the world number two who could reclaim the No. 1 spot with a win this week, had a short night on court as Britain’s Jack Draper retired with an abdominal injury as the Spaniard led 6-2, 2-0.
Meanwhile, world number one Swiatek had the last word in most of the long rallies as she outlasted 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducano 6-3, 6-1.
Their smooth progression was a stark contrast to the drama earlier in the day, when Medvedev rocked a fall in the second set and sprained his ankle badly to defeat Zverev 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 to extend the AFC’s winning streak. Professional tennis to 17 matches.
The world number six, who is out of ATP tournament wins in Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai, rolled his right ankle and lay on the court for several minutes before limping back to his chair.
Zverev, who tore ankle ligaments at the French Open last year, looked worried but after the injury was checked and registered by medical staff Medvedev moved on – and turned the game around.
“At first it was very painful, so I was more worried and focused more on my ankle than on the match,” Medvedev said.
“Then it actually helped me a little bit to play better. For the rest of the game the adrenaline was probably kicking in. So it wasn’t easy to walk, that’s why I was limp, but moving around was easier.”
He saved all 10 break points he faced in the second set, grabbing a 4-1 lead on his way to a tiebreaker victory.
On an early break in the third game, Medvedev squandered a match point because he broke in the tenth game.
However, Zverev couldn’t build on that, and Medvedev held on to love to seal the win after three hours and 17 minutes.
When the ankle allowed, 28th seed Medvedev was due to face Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina — a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Chilean Cristian Garin — on Wednesday.
Alcaraz will have the day off before facing Felix Auger-Aliassime, who saved six match points — three in a third-set tiebreak — in his 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) win over Tommy Poole.
Not that Alcaraz will need rest after his 46-minute outing.
“This is not the way anyone wants to win,” Alcaraz said.
Swiatek’s match followed a familiar pattern, with last year’s French and US Open winner feeling her opponent through a few close matches before pulling away for a convincing victory.
“I just feel in these long rallies that I was the one who showed that I can push the defense and it’s not easy to finish the race.
“She was actually doing the same thing,” Swiatek said. “She’d run to every ball and she’d play those slides that were tough, but honestly I’m very happy with how positive and disciplined I was.”
She will then face Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, who won 6-4 4-6 7-5 over French fifth seed Caroline Garcia.
– Kvitova escapes –
Defending men’s Taylor Fritz defeated Hungary’s Marton Vosovic 6-4, 6-3 in a tense match that belied the head-to-head score.
Fritz will face Italian Yannick Sinner, who beat three-times Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka 6-1 6-4.
Briton Cameron Norrie, champion 2021, beat seventh seed Andrei Rublev 6-2, 6-4, to align with American Frances Tiafoe, who won 6-4, 6-4 over Chilean Alejandro Tapelo.
Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka reached her first quarterfinal with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 victory over Barbora Kryjcikova.
Sabalenka will face 19-year-old American Coco Gauff after she beat Swedish qualifier Rebecca Peterson 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. Gauff, the fourth seed, has won three of their previous four meetings.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, former world number 2 and former world number 15, saved four points in a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (13/11) win over third seed Jessica Pegula.
She will face last year’s Czech runner-up Maria Sakkari, the seventh seed, who beat Karolina Pliskova 6-4 5-7 6-3.
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