Indian Wells
Orange Crush: Alcaraz routs Dimitrov in flawless Indian Wells opener
Two-time champion subsequent faces Rinderknech
March 08, 2026
ATP Tour
Carlos Alcaraz is 13-0 in 2026.
By Grant Thompson
Carlos Alcaraz continued his good begin to the season on Saturday on the BNP Paribas Open, delivering a fittingly flawless efficiency to down Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-3.
Sporting a bright-orange shirt with tangerine shorts — and a recent fade haircut — Alcaraz was dominant from the baseline, starting his Indian Wells marketing campaign in the identical type he produced to win the Australian Open and the ATP 500 occasion in Doha final month. A two-time Indian Wells champion, Alcaraz prolonged his profitable streak to 13 matches.
“I knew it was going to be tough with the circumstances,” Alcaraz mentioned following his second-round win. “His model is absolutely, actually harmful and it’s all the time powerful to manage the ball when he steps on the courtroom and he’s hitting his photographs. With the wind at the moment, it was even more durable and I believe I tailored my sport higher and that’s why I took the match. On the whole, I’m actually, actually proud of the issues that I’ve accomplished at the moment.”
OH MY ALCARAZ 😱 @BNPPARIBASOPEN | #TennisParadise | @carlosalcaraz pic.twitter.com/LQlEXIWB6Q
— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 8, 2026
Regardless of the problem of blustery circumstances throughout the desert, Alcaraz nonetheless struck his forehand with pinpoint accuracy and standard firepower. The 22-year-old’s confidence was almost palpable as he cracked massive smiles and checked out ease all through the 66-minute match. After Alcaraz hammered a forehand winner to shut the seventh sport of the second set, Dimitrov met him with a excessive 5 throughout the changeover.
“I really like taking part in right here. I really like being right here so, a lot,” Alcaraz mentioned. “I believe that’s why I’m taking part in relaxed, taking part in calm, chilling, making an attempt to get pleasure from each time I step on the courtroom.”
The World No. 1 within the PIF ATP Rankings improved to 5-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence in opposition to the Bulgarian, 12 years his senior. The previous No. 3 has troubled the Spaniard earlier than, notably defeating him two years in the past in Miami, the place Alcaraz hilariously mentioned Dimitrov’s efficiency “made me really feel like I’m 13 years previous”. The fan favourites met in Indian Wells final 12 months, with Alcaraz cruising to a 6-1, 6-1 win.
Into the third spherical, Alcaraz subsequent faces twenty sixth seed Arthur Rinderknech, in opposition to whom he holds an ideal 5-0 Lexus ATP Head2Head document. Rinderknech’s second-round opponent Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo withdrew as a result of a left leg damage, giving the Frenchman a walkover.
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