Day 11 at Indian Wells produced the final that no one had entered at the start of the fortnight.
Daniil Medvedev produced his sharpest performance in a long time to end Carlos Alcaraz’s unbeaten start to 2026, denying the world No.1 in straight sets with a mix of first-hand aggression, huge second-serve numbers and clutch serves as the match threatened to swing.
Earlier, Jannik Sinner was simply too clean for Alexander Zverev, extending his last-match stranglehold to book his first Indian Wells final with another composed high-precision display.
Now it’s Medvedev vs Sinner for the title; two elite hardcourt players, both arriving with speed and a history of interesting match-ups.
Day Eleven 2026 BNP Paribas Open Semi Final Results
| Winner | Loser | Do |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel Medvedev (11) | Carlos Alcaraz (1) | 6-3 7-6(3) |
| Jannik Sinner (2) | Alexander Zverev (4) | 6-2 6-4 |
Summary of the match
(11) Daniil Medvedev def. (1) Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 7-6(3)
Medvedev produced a vintage masterclass to snap Alcaraz’s 16-match winning streak (titles at AO and Doha) and hand the 22-year-old Spaniard his first loss of 2026.
In a 1 hour 37 minute battle under scorching heat, Medvedev controlled with aggressive shooting, strong second serve play (74% points won) and composure under pressure. He converted both breakpoints created and saved four of five against him.
Down an early break in set two and up two set points at 4-5, Medvedev served aggressively to force Alcaraz errors and deny any comeback.
This was Medvedev’s first win over Alcaraz since the semi-finals of the 2023 US Open, and to be honest, I didn’t see it coming.
A year ago, Meddy looked like a shot fighter who could no longer hang with the best, and I didn’t really see him coming back because he had been playing in that form for a long period. But somehow he’s back in the mix.
“To play someone like Carlos… you have to be at your best,” Medvedev said. “I was tagging along… super excited to beat someone as strong as him.”
Medvedev extended his streak to 18 (since Dubai) and leads the Tour with 18 victories in 2026.
Match statistics
| Key statistics | Carlos Alcaraz | Daniel Medvedev |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | 24 | 15 |
| Unforced errors | 30 | 22 |
| Ace | 2 | 4 |
| Double mistake | 2 | 0 |
| 1st serving % | 63% (39/62) | 59% (44/75) |
| 1st Serve point won | 69% (27/39) | 64% (28/44) |
| 2nd serve point won | 57% (13/23) | 74% (23/31) |
| Breakpoints saved | 0% (0/2) | 80% (4/5) |
| 1st return point won | 36% (16/44) | 31% (12/39) |
| 2nd return point won | 26% (8/31) | 43% (10/23) |
| Break point won | 20% (1/5) | 100% (2/2) |
| Return game | 9% (1/11) | 20% (2/10) |
| Pressure points | 14% (1/7) | 86% (6/7) |
| Service points | 65% (40/62) | 68% (51/75) |
| Return points | 32% (24/75) | 35% (22/62) |
| Net points | 73% (8/11) | 64% (7/11) |
| Total points | 47% (64/137) | 53% (73/137) |
| Match point saved | 2 | – |
| Max points in a row | 5 | 7 |
| Total game | 43% (9/21) | 57% (21/12) |
| Max games in a row | 2 | 3 |
Highlights
(2) Jannik Sinner def. (4) Alexander Zverev 6-2, 6-4
Sinner dominated for 83 minutes to reach his first Indian Wells final. He extended his H2H dominance over Zverev to 7-4 (six straight wins) with razor sharp play all over the court: 83% first-serve points won, eight aces, 18 winners and just 13 unforced errors.
Zverev started confidently (winning his first eight service points) but faded as Sinner’s deep returns and precision took hold.
Sinner broke in games five and seven of set one (dropping just four points on serve) and again at 4-3 in set two to seal it.
“It’s a great performance… first time here in the finals,” Sinner said. “I served very well at important moments.” He mixed return positions effectively against Zverev’s serve and reached his sixth Masters 1000 final in his last seven appearances.
Zverev, who completed the set of semifinals at all nine Masters 1000s, struggled to counter Sinner’s consistency, and he needs to be much more aggressive on the first ball after his serve.
Sinner hits the metal on his first shot, while Sascha is much more conservative to “start a rally” and he pays dearly for it.
Match statistics
| Key statistics | Alexander Zverev | Jannik Sinner |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | 14 | 16 |
| Unforced errors | 14 | 6 |
| Ace | 4 | 8 |
| Double mistake | 3 | 2 |
| 1st serving % | 66% (35/53) | 57% (29/51) |
| 1st Serve point won | 80% (28/35) | 83% (24/29) |
| 2nd serve point won | 28% (5/18) | 64% (14/22) |
| Breakpoints saved | 50% (3/6) | 100% (1/1) |
| 1st return point won | 17% (5/29) | 20% (7/35) |
| 2nd return point won | 36% (8/22) | 72% (13/18) |
| Break point won | 0% (0/1) | 50% (3/6) |
| Return game | 0% (0/9) | 33% (3/9) |
| Pressure points | 43% (3/7) | 57% (4/7) |
| Service points | 62% (33/53) | 75% (38/51) |
| Return points | 25% (13/51) | 38% (20/53) |
| Net points | 67% (4/6) | 88% (7/8) |
| Total points | 44% (46/104) | 56% (58/104) |
| Max points in a row | 4 | 7 |
| Max games in a row | 1 | 5 |
| Total game | 33% (6/18) | 67% (12/18) |
| Max games in a row | 2 | 3 |
Highlights
Indian Wells 2026, Final Day 12
- Daniil Medvedev (11) vs Jannik Sinner (2)
