tennis fans at Indian Wells watched Jannik Sinner race past Alexander Zverev 6-2 6-4 to reach his maiden Indian Wells final. He will face Daniil Medvedev after Medvedev ended Carlos Alcaraz’s 16-match winning streak with a 6-3 7-6 (7-3) victory in California earlier in the day. The pair arrive at the championship match off contrasting runs: Sinner snapping a stretch of missed finals and Medvedev extending a winning streak that stretches back through a recent title.
Tennis: Road to the final
Sinner produced a commanding performance, closing out his semi-final in one hour and 23 minutes with a 6-2 6-4 scoreline over Zverev. The 24-year-old landed nearly every key shot from the back of the court, dropping just four points on serve in the first set and securing two breaks that swung the opener decisively in his favour. That victory marked his first championship-match appearance at this event and continued his effective run on hard courts, where he has won 21 of his 24 career titles.
On the other side, Daniil Medvedev advanced after halting Carlos Alcaraz’s perfect start to the year. Medvedev opened quickly in their meeting, taking the first set 6-3 and then sealing the match 7-6 (7-3) in a tense second-set tiebreak. He converted both break-point opportunities in the opening set and managed crucial points when it mattered most in the tie-break. The win extended Medvedev’s sequence of victories following a title last month and added to two ATP Tour titles he has captured in 2026.
Immediate reactions
Jannik Sinner, world number two (ATP Tour), reflected on his performance: “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. ” Sinner noted the difficulty of playing against a big server and credited precision and timing for his win.
Daniil Medvedev, 2021 US Open champion (ATP Tour), said: “The first set was a super high level from me and he started to get a grip in the second. 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 also pointed to the importance of converting opportunities, having taken both break points in the opening set and fighting through the tie-break.
What’s next
The final now pits Sinner’s relentless hard-court game against Medvedev’s recent run of form, and it will decide whether Sinner can add the Indian Wells title to his list of hard-court achievements or whether Medvedev will convert a run of strong results into a California title after two past runner-up finishes at this event. Observers will watch serving efficiency and clutch-point play as the decisive factors. The matchup closes a day of upsets and statement wins that have reshaped expectations for the tournament and leaves tennis watchers anticipating a high-stakes championship match.
