Carlos Alcaraz admits how desperate he is thinking about closing the gap on Jannik Sinner after his opening win at Indian Wells
Carlos Alcaraz Begins Indian Wells Title Defense with Victory Over Quentin Halys
Carlos Alcaraz has kicked off his Indian Wells title defense in style, securing a solid victory over Quentin Halys in his opening match. As the reigning back-to-back champion at the Masters 1000 event, the four-time Grand Slam winner is aiming to make history with a third consecutive title in the California desert.
Alcaraz the Favorite Amidst High-Profile Exits
With top rivals Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev suffering early exits, and world No.1 Jannik Sinner absent, Alcaraz has been touted as the tournament favorite.
Sinner, who currently holds the top ranking, is serving a suspension until May 4 after testing positive for the banned substance clostebol at last year’s Indian Wells event. However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) ruled that Sinner was not at fault, attributing the incident to contamination.
Alcaraz Addresses Chase for World No.1 Spot
Despite Sinner’s absence, Alcaraz remains realistic about reclaiming the No.1 ranking. Speaking after his win over Halys, he admitted that while it’s on his mind, it’s not his primary focus.
“It’s something that is in my mind, but I’m not really focusing on it,” Alcaraz said. “In every tournament, I just focus on myself, on playing good tennis and improving. If I do the right things, the No.1 ranking will come naturally.”
Alcaraz also emphasized the importance of avoiding unnecessary pressure:
“If I focus too much on the No.1 ranking, I put extra pressure on myself, which I don’t want. Even though Jannik is not here, it’s still really difficult to get there. Let’s see how things go in the next few weeks.”
How Alcaraz Can Close the Gap on Sinner and Zverev
Alcaraz is currently ranked world No.3 with 7,510 points, trailing behind Sinner (11,330) and Zverev (8,135). However, with Sinner set to lose 1,000 points from his Miami Open title defense during his suspension, Alcaraz has a golden opportunity to close the gap.
| Player | Current Points | Points Defending Until Italian Open | Max Points Earnable Until Italian Open |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jannik Sinner | 11,330 | 1,600 | 0 |
| Alexander Zverev | 8,135 | 850 | 3,510 |
| Carlos Alcaraz | 7,510 | 1,400 | 4,500 |
Since Alcaraz is defending his Indian Wells title, he cannot gain points at this tournament. However, he still has the potential to surpass Zverev with strong performances in the coming weeks.
Next Up: Alcaraz vs. Shapovalov
With his third-round spot secured, Alcaraz now turns his attention to a showdown with an in-form Denis Shapovalov as he continues his quest for a historic third straight Indian Wells crown.
