Defending champion and just brilliant winner of the Indian Wells Masters 1000 where he again became world number 1, Carlos Alcaraz will try in Miami (March 22-April 2) to achieve a rare “Double in the sun” as the American spring chain. “Of course, winning a tournament (Indian Wells) brings a lot of confidence (to tackle the next one). I play very well (…) and I hope to play again at this level in Miami”, launched the Spaniard after his victory in the final in California against Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-2 in 70 minutes.
He will need a lot of confidence but also a very good tennis and physical level to win in Florida where, in the absence of Novak Djokovic still banned from American territory for lack of vaccine against Covid-19, the pressure on his shoulders will be enormous. Because the stakes are high: only a title would allow him to keep his place at the top of the world hierarchy, while only a handful of players managed to win the first two Masters 1000 of the season in the same year.
Fourth Masters 1000 before 20 years
Since the first, Jim Courier in 1991, they are a total of eleven, including four women, Steffi Graf twice, Kim Klijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek last year, to have done so. The last to do so on the men’s side was Roger Federer, who scored his third double in 2017. The doubles record is held by Djokovic, who scored it four times.
In addition, Alcaraz is only the second player in history, after Rafael Nadal, to win at least three Masters 1000 before turning 20. Nadal, who gave up the American spring tour this year to prepare for the clay court season by aiming for a 15th Roland-Garros, for what could be his final participation, had won six. Alcaraz is aiming for its fourth in Miami with Monte-Carlo next before celebrating its 20th birthday on May 5.
After coming into contention in the second round against the Argentinian Facundo Bagnis or a player from the qualifications, Alcaraz could find on his way Andy Murray, still as difficult to beat at 35, then Tommy Paul, one of the Americans in form at the start of the year. Could then stand up Taylor Fritz or Holger Rune before a new highly anticipated duel against Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals, revenge for that of Indian Wells. At the bottom of the table, and on courts he hopes are faster than those in California, Medvedev will try to join Alcaraz for a new final duel.
Swiatek sous pression
Among the women, defending champion Swiatek will be much less sure of herself than last year: eliminated in the round of 16 at the Australian Open, beaten in the final in Dubai where she defended her title, the Polish was swept away by eventual winner Elena Rybakina in the semis at Indian Wells. The world number 1 then let it be known that she had “discomfort in the ribs”. Will she be sent back to Florida to resume her march forward or will she leave her main competitors, in particular Rybakina (7th) and Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka (2nd), winner of the Australian Open and finalist in Indian Wells, increase their threat to the world throne?
Anyway, the title will be worth a lot since the entire top 20 women’s world is there, and in particular the former winners Azarenka (2009, 2011, 2016) and Sloane Stephens (2018), as well as the finalists Bianca Andreescu (2021), who will be opposed in the first round to Emma Raducanu, Karolina Pliskova (2019) and Jelena Ostapenko (2018). Without forgetting Caroline Garcia (4th) who is struggling to confirm her very good 2022 season, ending with a victory at the Masters at the end of the year, but who is nevertheless a candidate for the title.
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