Carlos Alcaraz refuses to entertain the idea of going for Jannik Sinner’s World No. 1 ranking amid Indian Wells progress
Carlos Alcaraz Plays Down No. 1 Ambitions, Stays Focused on Indian Wells
Despite his impressive form, Carlos Alcaraz has downplayed the idea of chasing the No. 1 spot in the ATP Rankings anytime soon. The Spaniard has won 10 of his last 11 matches and is currently competing at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where he cruised into the quarterfinals with a 6-1, 6-1 demolition of Grigor Dimitrov.
Alcaraz had previously defeated Denis Shapovalov and Quentin Halys, barely breaking a sweat en route to the last eight. However, when asked about overtaking Jannik Sinner for the top ranking, the 21-year-old insisted his focus remains on his game, not the points race.
“I’m not thinking much about recovering the No. 1 spot in two or three months. That would just add extra pressure. I’m focused on each day and each tournament. If I do the right things and work on improving, the results will come, and No. 1 will follow,” Alcaraz said in his post-match press conference.
Alcaraz Eyes Third Consecutive Indian Wells Title
Currently, Alcaraz trails Sinner by nearly 4000 points in the ATP Rankings. However, with the Italian sidelined from competition, the Spaniard has a chance to narrow the gap. He is aiming for a third straight Indian Wells title, having successfully defended his crown last year with a 7-6(5), 6-1 victory over Daniil Medvedev in the final.
Alcaraz has already secured one title this season, winning the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam last month. He remains fully focused on lifting another trophy in Indian Wells.
“Right now, I’m just focused on this tournament. I want to keep playing good tennis, hopefully reach the final, or even lift the trophy. That’s my goal here,” he stated.
Beyond Indian Wells, Alcaraz is also looking forward to competing at the Miami Open, another event where he has found past success. While his sights remain on short-term improvements, he acknowledged that strong performances will naturally lead to a higher ranking.
“I’m feeling better with every match. After this, I’ll think about Miami and the tournaments ahead. If I continue improving, the results will come, and the ranking will take care of itself,” he added.
Alcaraz to Face Francisco Cerundolo in Quarterfinals
Next up, Carlos Alcaraz will face Francisco Cerundolo in the quarterfinals. The Spaniard holds a 1-0 head-to-head record against the Argentine, having beaten him at the Queen’s Club Championships last year.
While Alcaraz dominated Dimitrov, Cerundolo booked his spot in the last eight with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over ninth seed Alex de Minaur. The winner of this quarterfinal will face either Ben Shelton or Jack Draper in the semifinals.
The other side of the draw features Holger Rune vs. Tallon Griekspoor and Daniil Medvedev vs. Arthur Fils, with the Frenchman making his Masters 1000 quarterfinal debut.
