Indian Wells, March 10 (NationPress) In a thrilling match, World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz made a remarkable comeback to defeat France’s Arthur Rinderknech, advancing to the next stage of the Indian Wells Open with a score of 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-2.

The Spaniard found himself in a challenging position early on, losing the first set and trailing by a break in the second as Rinderknech’s formidable serve and aggressive play put him under intense pressure.

Nevertheless, Alcaraz gradually took control of the match, showcasing his improved consistency and composure, thereby maintaining his perfect start to the 2026 season, now boasting a record of 14-0.

“He was playing his best tennis, I would say, in the first, the beginning of the second. For me, it was really, really difficult. I found myself in trouble, to be honest, but I’m just really pleased with how I managed everything that was happening,” Alcaraz reflected.

“I accepted it, kept pressing on, stayed mentally strong, and then adjusted my strategy... I think I just started to play more solid, waiting for my opportunities,” added Alcaraz, who faced an aggressive start from Rinderknech.

The initial set was closely contested, with Alcaraz nearly capturing it after rallying from a 2/5 deficit in the tie-break. However, a misjudged forehand on a set point at 6/5 allowed Rinderknech to seize the opportunity and take the set, followed by an early break in the second to enhance his lead.

Despite this momentum, the Frenchman was unable to sustain the break as Alcaraz found his rhythm. The Spaniard converted four out of his ten break-point chances across the final two sets, gradually overpowering his opponent once he adapted to the stadium court.

Alcaraz also faced a brief scare when he seemed to twist his ankle early in the second set. Although this raised concerns, the top seed showed no lingering effects as he finished the match strongly.

"I moved perfectly in the third set, so hopefully tomorrow will feel like nothing at all," he said.

This victory not only extended Alcaraz’s unbeaten streak to start the season, following his title wins at the Australian Open and the Qatar Open in Doha, but also marked his 32nd consecutive win on outdoor hard courts, a streak that dates back to last year’s Miami Open. Additionally, it improved his head-to-head record against Rinderknech to 6-0.

Alcaraz’s next opponent will be Casper Ruud in the round of 16, where he holds a 5-1 advantage in their previous encounters. The Norwegian, seeded 13th, also staged a comeback from a set down to defeat Valentin Vacherot 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 earlier in the day.

In another noteworthy match, Daniil Medvedev capped off the men’s evening session with a commanding 6-4, 6-0 victory over Sebastian Baez on Stadium 2. Both players entered the match tied with the most wins on tour this season at 14, but this win propelled Medvedev ahead as the first player to reach 15 singles victories in 2026.

The Russian is currently on a six-match winning streak, which began during his successful title run at the Dubai Tennis Championships last month.