Medvedev stuns Alcaraz to set up Sinner final

Daniil Medvedev brought an end to world number one Carlos Alcaraz's perfect start to 2026 to reach the final at Indian Wells.Alcaraz began the year by winning the Australian Open and was on a 16-match winning streak until running into Medvedev.The Russian made a quick start, taking the opening set in just 35 minutes, en route to a 6-3 7-6 (7-3) victory in California. The 30-year-old, who has finished runner-up at the California event on two occasions, will face Jannik Sinner after the world number two caught the eye with a 6-2 6-4 win over Alexander Zverev earlier in the day."The first set was a super high level from me and he started to get a grip in the second," Medvedev said."I managed to stay in there and play good in crucial points."I'm happy that I was able to show the world that I'm still a good tennis player."Medvedev took both break point opportunities in the first set, before battling to victory via a tie-break in the second.The 2021 US Open champion, who beat defending champion Jack Draper in the quarter-finals, extended his own winning streak to nine matches after winning last month's Dubai Tennis Championship.Sinner has won 21 of his 24 titles on hard courts and looked on top form as he raced to victory in one hour and 23 minutes.The 24-year-old is aiming to become just the third man - after Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic - to capture all six ATP Masters 1000 hard-court titles."It was a great performance - very solid from the back of the court. I tried to go for shots and that felt like one of the keys," he said."He has a huge serve so I tried to mix it up. From my side I was very precise and it was a solid performance."I thought the match would be more physical but when both serve well it's difficult to get into a rhythm with short points."Sinner has endured a frustrating start to 2026, failing to reach a single final prior to this event, but was inspired as he attempts to correct that record.It was in the first set where the mental damage was done as the Italian, who has won seven of their 11 meetings, dropped just four points on serve and broke twice.Zverev struggled to find his rhythm on serve in the opening set and Sinner made him pay - winning six of the eight second-serve return points.The German, 28, stood firm to save three break points in the opening service game of the second, but was ultimately broken to trail 4-3 with the remainder of the match staying on serve.