Alcaraz discusses loss to Medvedev: Never seen him play so well, doesn't think about having to win

On March 15, Beijing time, the semifinals of the 2026 ATP 1000 Indian Wells Masters concluded. World No. 1 and two-time tournament champion Carlos Alcaraz ended his season-opening 16-match winning streak after a 97-minute battle, losing to Daniil Medvedev 3-6, 6-7(3).

Summarizing the loss post-match, Alcaraz first gave his opponent full credit: "I must praise Daniil's performance; he played an incredible match. From start to finish, his level was almost unreal. Honestly, I've never seen Daniil play this well before. He fully deserved this win and deserves to advance to the final. All I can say is congratulations to him."

"For me personally, I had some shaky moments in my service games in the first set. Throughout the match, I was constantly scrambling, which was really tough. But I'm proud that I fought until the very end." Despite his impressive start to the year, Alcaraz stated he doesn't dwell on the idea that he must win every match. "I just focus on pursuing my goals and what I set for myself before each tournament. That's my mindset, so I don't get tired from others thinking I have to win every time."

Alcaraz also mentioned that playing against Medvedev under California's hot weather, in long baseline rallies, each shot required greater physical effort. "The first set was difficult for me, but that was entirely due to his outstanding play; he forced me to struggle so much. In the second set, I felt better, understood what I needed to do, realized I had to grit my teeth and endure, and I accepted that." Although he secured a break in the second set and even held two set points, he ultimately couldn't force the match into a deciding set.

At the press conference, Alcaraz couldn't hide his disappointment, but he already saw positives from the defeat. "I'm a bit disappointed now, but at the same time, I must see the bright side from this loss. At least it means other players need to reach this level to beat me, so in some ways, it's beneficial for me. When they perform at this level, I just have to accept it and move on. From now on, I need to understand that everyone can play like this, and I must be prepared for it."

"But undoubtedly, I've been playing tennis at a very high level consistently. I've also shown all my opponents that if they want to beat me, they must maintain peak form throughout the entire match, whether it's one and a half or two hours." Next, Alcaraz will head to Florida to prepare for the second leg of the "Sunshine Double," the ATP 1000 Miami Masters. Last year, he suffered a second-round exit there, so he faces no points pressure.

（Text and editing: Dato, Image: Visual China）