Spoiler:
Two-time defending champion sinks Shapovalov, sets Dimitrov clash in R4
March 11, 2025
Carlos Alcaraz extends his win streak in Indian Wells to 14 matches.
Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Carlos Alcaraz extends his win streak in Indian Wells to 14 matches.
By ATP Staff
Carlos Alcaraz will not be forgetting last year’s bee invasion at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells anytime soon.
During his third-round win over Denis Shapovalov on Monday, the two-time defending champion couldn’t help but notice a group of fans sporting black and yellow striped outfits — an amusing nod to the unforgettable incident 12 months ago. Beekeeper Lance Davis was called to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden during Alcaraz’s quarter-final clash with Alexander Zverev last year, during which a bee invasion caused a delay of nearly two hours.
It All Adds Up
Alcaraz surged to a commanding 6-2, 6-4 win over Shapovalov to extend his win-streak to 14 matches at the event, and he later acknowledged the enthusiastic fans for their unexpected role in motivating him.
“It is funny because it helped me a lot,” Alcaraz said in Monday’s post-match press conference. ‘During the whole first set, I was looking at them and laughing. And I always say that when I am laughing, when I am having fun on the court, I show good tennis.
“So [it’s] probably thanks to them [that] I could show good tennis. I didn't realize until the second game, the camera put them on the screen. So it was funny. I took a selfie with them at the end, because I think they deserve it.”
<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/carl ... ew'>Carlos Alcaraz</a> fansCarlos Alcaraz cheered on in Indian Wells by fans sporting bee costumes. Photo: Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Alcaraz had already been reunited with beekeeper Davis before his opening-round match against Quentin Halys, further cementing the lasting memory of last year’s bizarre moment.
The 21-year-old Spaniard is this week bidding to become the first player born in 1991 or later to three-peat at an ATP Tour event. If he is successful in his title defence, Alcaraz will join Roger Federer (2004-06) and Novak Djokovic (2014-16) as the only men to win three consecutive singles crowns at the event.
Having dropped just two sets during his 14-match win streak in Indian Wells, it is safe to say Alcaraz has mastered the courts in the California desert in recent times. In the offseason, the No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings added five grams of weight to his racquet, and it seems to be working to great effect in the slower, higher-bouncing conditions.
“I was looking for some specific moments of the match of shots that I thought I was able to improve my game a little bit,” Alcaraz said when asked of the change. “When I was running or some specific shots. I felt really good playing with those five grams more. I felt the ball. It was flying. So I just started to play with it, and I think it was a great change for me.
“I can control it. The ball is totally the same, but it feels like when I hit it, when I hit it well, it goes stronger. I think, for the opponent, it is more difficult to control it. That’s my feeling.”
You May Also Like: Alcaraz stymies surging Shapovalov in Indian Wells
Shapovalov entered the tournament with an impressive 10-4 record on the season, including a run to his maiden ATP 500 title in Dallas in February. Yet Alcaraz was in full command, seeing off the Canadian in 83 minutes for the loss of just six games.
“I'm just really pleased about my performance today, about everything I have done,” said Alcaraz, who raced to a 5-0 lead in the first set. “I knew at the beginning of the match that I had to be really focused. I had to start the match really strong, knowing it was going to be a really tough battle. Just really happy that I was able to do it.
“Denis is a great player. He's been playing really good tennis lately. He started the season really strong with really powerful shots.”
Alcaraz will continue his title defence against 14th seed Grigor Dimitrov. While The Spaniard leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 3-2, Dimitrov has won the previous two encounters, at ATP Masters 1000 events in Shanghai in 2023 and Miami in 2024.
March 11, 2025
Carlos Alcaraz extends his win streak in Indian Wells to 14 matches.
Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Carlos Alcaraz extends his win streak in Indian Wells to 14 matches.
By ATP Staff
Carlos Alcaraz will not be forgetting last year’s bee invasion at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells anytime soon.
During his third-round win over Denis Shapovalov on Monday, the two-time defending champion couldn’t help but notice a group of fans sporting black and yellow striped outfits — an amusing nod to the unforgettable incident 12 months ago. Beekeeper Lance Davis was called to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden during Alcaraz’s quarter-final clash with Alexander Zverev last year, during which a bee invasion caused a delay of nearly two hours.
It All Adds Up
Alcaraz surged to a commanding 6-2, 6-4 win over Shapovalov to extend his win-streak to 14 matches at the event, and he later acknowledged the enthusiastic fans for their unexpected role in motivating him.
“It is funny because it helped me a lot,” Alcaraz said in Monday’s post-match press conference. ‘During the whole first set, I was looking at them and laughing. And I always say that when I am laughing, when I am having fun on the court, I show good tennis.
“So [it’s] probably thanks to them [that] I could show good tennis. I didn't realize until the second game, the camera put them on the screen. So it was funny. I took a selfie with them at the end, because I think they deserve it.”
<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/carl ... ew'>Carlos Alcaraz</a> fansCarlos Alcaraz cheered on in Indian Wells by fans sporting bee costumes. Photo: Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Alcaraz had already been reunited with beekeeper Davis before his opening-round match against Quentin Halys, further cementing the lasting memory of last year’s bizarre moment.
The 21-year-old Spaniard is this week bidding to become the first player born in 1991 or later to three-peat at an ATP Tour event. If he is successful in his title defence, Alcaraz will join Roger Federer (2004-06) and Novak Djokovic (2014-16) as the only men to win three consecutive singles crowns at the event.
Having dropped just two sets during his 14-match win streak in Indian Wells, it is safe to say Alcaraz has mastered the courts in the California desert in recent times. In the offseason, the No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings added five grams of weight to his racquet, and it seems to be working to great effect in the slower, higher-bouncing conditions.
“I was looking for some specific moments of the match of shots that I thought I was able to improve my game a little bit,” Alcaraz said when asked of the change. “When I was running or some specific shots. I felt really good playing with those five grams more. I felt the ball. It was flying. So I just started to play with it, and I think it was a great change for me.
“I can control it. The ball is totally the same, but it feels like when I hit it, when I hit it well, it goes stronger. I think, for the opponent, it is more difficult to control it. That’s my feeling.”
You May Also Like: Alcaraz stymies surging Shapovalov in Indian Wells
Shapovalov entered the tournament with an impressive 10-4 record on the season, including a run to his maiden ATP 500 title in Dallas in February. Yet Alcaraz was in full command, seeing off the Canadian in 83 minutes for the loss of just six games.
“I'm just really pleased about my performance today, about everything I have done,” said Alcaraz, who raced to a 5-0 lead in the first set. “I knew at the beginning of the match that I had to be really focused. I had to start the match really strong, knowing it was going to be a really tough battle. Just really happy that I was able to do it.
“Denis is a great player. He's been playing really good tennis lately. He started the season really strong with really powerful shots.”
Alcaraz will continue his title defence against 14th seed Grigor Dimitrov. While The Spaniard leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 3-2, Dimitrov has won the previous two encounters, at ATP Masters 1000 events in Shanghai in 2023 and Miami in 2024.
d. [14] Grigor Dimitrov 
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