Carlos Alcaraz enters the 2023 Indian Wells Masters as one of the heavy favourites since he is the highest-ranked player currently in this Grand Slam.
The No. 2-ranked player in the ATP comes in as the top seed after Novak Djokovic had to withdraw due to his vaccination status, as the US is still not allowing unvaccinated international travelers to enter the country.
Another big player who is missing from this tournament is Rafael Nadal, who is sidelined due to a hip injury he sustained at the Australian Open.
While Alcaraz is preparing for his first match, some of his colleagues have already started, and we’ve seen a huge upset in second-round play.
Will we see more upsets just like before? Only time will tell. But for now, read on as SBOTOP recaps the most recent Indian Wells Masters 2023 news.
Carlos Alcaraz “ready” to take over
Alcaraz has a lot to play for in this tournament. If he wins the 2023 Indian Wells Masters, not only will he win his second trophy of the year, he will also be back at the top of the ATP rankings.
A few weeks ago, the young Spaniard won the 2023 Argentina Open but lost in the Rio Open final, and he pulled out of the Mexican Open due to a strained hamstring.
The injury that he suffered in Acapulco didn’t look good, but he apparently is 100-per cent fit after spending less than a week off the court. It must be great to have young legs.
“I’m feeling really good right now. I took some days off and it was really good for me. Right now, I’m ready,” said Alcaraz in a recent interview.
The 19-year-old Spaniard doesn’t believe that he is a tournament favourite because he hasn’t won a hard court tournament since winning the US Open last year. However, that won’t stop him from trying to win his second career Grand Slam in Indian Wells.
“For me, winning the tournament and being No. 1 again is a really good goal and I really want to go for it. I would say that I have my chances to win the tournament and I’m going to try to take it,” said Alcaraz.
After a first-round bye, Alcaraz will open his 2023 Indian Wells Masters campaign tomorrow against qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis. The 26-year-old Australian is currently ranked No. 94 in the ATP rankings.
Stefanos Tsitsipas stunned in the second round
Jordan Thompson had one of the biggest upsets of the tournament thus far when he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(0), 4-6, 7-6(5) in the second round. It was his second career victory over a Top 10 player.
The Indian Wells Masters 2023 odds predicted that Tsitsipas would win easily because he is No. 3 in the ATP rankings. Thompson, on the other hand, came into this tournament as the 87th-ranked male tennis player in the world.
These two players have faced off twice before, and Tsitsipas won each time. The third time proved the charm for Thompson, as he took advantage of Tsitsipas’ shoulder injury.
Thompson did so by attacking Tsitsipas’ backhand, and his serve was effective too, as he won 83-per cent of his first serve points and 80-per cent of his second.
Still, the match came down to the wire – the two final points, to be exact. Tsitsipas fought valiantly, but Thompson looked fresher, and his movement helped produce a pair of forehand errors from the Greek.
“I feel confident, even playing against a Top 10 player I felt comfortable in my own skin and what I was doing, and just snuck out a win,” said Thompson. “It was a great feeling. You could see it on my face at the end of the match. I was overcome with joy.”
Having started the year 1-4 in ATP main draw matches, Thompson seems to have turned the corner, as he’s into the Indian Wells Masters third round for the first time in his career, where he’ll face qualifier Alejandro Tabilo.
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal looking ahead
Djokovic and Nadal are not competing in Indian Wells, and their absences might prove to be a blessing in disguise.
Because both of them aren’t getting any younger, being absent in California means that they can recharge their batteries ahead of upcoming events.
The two of them can effectively start preparing for the clay courts at Roland Garros. Djokovic and Nadal have 22 Grand Slams each, and maybe one of them can get his 23rd in May.
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