Carlos Alcaraz overcame a set and a break deficit to defeat Arthur Rinderknech 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-2 in the third round at Indian Wells, moving to 14-0 in 2026. The world No. 1 recovered after a slow start to assert control over the final two sets and advance in the tournament.

The victory completes a strong opening to the season that already included seven match wins en route to the Australian Open title, five wins en route to the title in Doha and two wins at Indian Wells. Those results are part of a broader run: Alcaraz has now won 70 of his last 75 matches on tour, a stretch that reaches back to the start of last April.

Only five defeats interrupt that stretch over the last 11 months. They came to Holger Rune in the Barcelona final on clay; to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final on grass; and to Taylor Fritz at the Laver Cup, to Cam Norrie in his first match in Paris, and to Sinner again in the ATP Finals final. The last three losses occurred on indoor hard courts at the end of last year.

Alcaraz’s form on outdoor hard courts during this period is particularly striking. He remains undefeated on outdoor hard courts in the span, compiling a 32-0 record since a loss to David Goffin in Miami last year. The Indian Wells comeback underlined both his resilience in adverse moments and the depth of consistency that has underpinned his run.

As the tournament progresses, the world No. 1 will carry that momentum into his next match, while the statistical arc of 70 wins in 75 matches highlights a level of sustained excellence across different surfaces and stages of major events.

A full Tuesday at Indian Wells brings high-stakes matchups across both draws, beginning with a rare Sabalenka-Osaka meeting and spanning a headline men’s clash between Jannik Sinner and Thiago Fonseca.

Osaka reflected on their only previous meeting in New York: “I remember thinking, like, we’re both going to get very far,” a line that now reads differently as their careers have taken divergent paths. Osaka rose to four majors and No. 1 soon after 2018, while Sabalenka’s ascent was steadier. The roles have flipped: Osaka is chasing Sabalenka’s top ranking, and she arrives at the event where she first broke through as a teenager.

Sabalenka welcomes the matchup. “A fashion show at the beginning, then a crazy match. She’s a great player.”

“She’s a great player,” Sabalenka said of Osaka. “Came back after pregnancy. Incredible shape. I have been watching her matches, really admire her.”

Both players brought power to the late 2010s, and this meeting should be a contest of first strikes. Osaka can match Sabalenka’s pace, but Sabalenka’s heavier shape and margin for error could allow her to ride out Osaka’s hot spells. Winner: Sabalenka

On the men’s side, the prospect of Sinner facing 19-year-old Fonseca carries intrigue. “It’s a really big thing to play against those guys,” Fonseca says of facing top-tier opponents like Sinner and his rival Carlos Alcaraz. “I’m gonna enjoy playing out there…try to enjoy as much as possible to see where my game is.”

Fonseca saved a match point to beat 16th-seeded Karen Khachanov, then dispatched 23rd seed Tommy Paul 6-2, 6-3. The Brazilian’s forehand and a lively following could produce a fast start against the world No. 2.

“It’s great.”

Frances Tiafoe is another American to watch as he prepares for Alexander Zverev. “Some matches you work for,” Tiafoe says of the prospect of facing Zverev in the round of 16 at a Masters 1000.

You see my last two matches? It was damn great. I’m happy. I’m happy the courts are a little faster. Frances Tiafoe after blitzing Flavio Cobolli, 6-1, 6-2

“He’s one of the better servers out here, so the biggest thing is to take care of my score and put scoreboard pressure,” Tiafoe says of Zverev.

“I think the past results don’t really have effect. Just go out and believe in it and execute.” Winner: Tiafoe

Amanda Anisimova’s match with Mboko pairs two rising Top 10 women who reached late rounds recently. Mboko has not dropped a set at Indian Wells; Anisimova surrendered one early but has tightened up since. Anisimova’s serve and ball striking make her the pick. Winner: Anisimova

Alex Michelsen produced a composed, high-energy performance to defeat seventh-seeded Taylor Fritz 6-4, 7-6 (6) in the third round at the BNP Paribas Open. The world No. 44 combined aggressive ball-striking with careful wind management to take control early and close out the match.

Michelsen set the tone from the start, using deeper drives and improved serving to pressure Fritz. He opened with a decisive break at 1-1 in the first set and closed that set at 15. Fritz, the tournament’s higher seed and a past champion here, struggled with the gusty conditions for much of the match. “I think that I struggled a lot with the wind in the beginning,” he said. “I was trying to be aggressive, and when I was trying to be aggressive with the wind, I just couldn’t. Just made a lot of mistakes mistiming the ball, so I kind of had to just accept that wasn’t really working and try to just put more balls in the court.”

Fritz mounted a late push in the second set, saving match points to force the tiebreak and briefly shifting momentum with a well-executed break point sequence when Michelsen was serving for the match at 5-4. Still, Michelsen showed resilience in the breaker, recovering from errors and converting opportunities to finish the match. “Yeah, definitely got a little lucky at the end,” said Michelsen, “but stayed as tough as I could. Had a tough game at 5-4, felt like I should have served it out there, but stayed composed.”

Michelsen finished with nine aces, won 57 percent of his second-serve points to Fritz’s 39 percent, and saved seven of eight break points. “To beat someone like Taylor, you have to go out there and have a lot of energy,” said Michelsen. “I feel like that’s also kind of my style. I’m one of those guys that shows a little more energy, shows a little more positivity and negativity. Both ways, right?”

The victory marked Michelsen’s first time winning two matches at Indian Wells and ended a stretch in which he had not won consecutive matches over his previous four tournaments. “It’s a very important win,” said Michelsen. “Top ten player, been top American for many years, someone I have looked up to for a long time.”