Carlos Alcaraz ended Jannik Sinner’s winning run as he claimed a place in the BNP Paribas Open final 1-6 6-3 6-2.
Australian Open champion Sinner had won 16 straight matches to begin the year – and 19 in all stretching back to last season – but the number three seed had no answer to the Spaniard after winning the first set.
Defending Indian Wells champion Alcaraz was broken twice after a three-hour rain delay as Sinner raced to a 6-1 first set victory.
But having faced deuce on his opening service game of the second set, the Spaniard grabbed the initiative with an early break.
𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐬 🤯
From a set down @carlosalcaraz crashes the party becoming the first player to defeat Sinner since Djokovic at #NittoATPFinals!@BNPPARIBASOPEN | #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/tZn1keBcYQAdvertisement— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 17, 2024
He saved break points in successive games and served out to level the match.
Alcaraz, who would have surrendered the world number two spot to Sinner with a defeat, again broke early in the deciding set.
He dropped just three points on his serve, rattling off five straight games to lead 5-1, clinching victory on his third match point in just over two hours.
“I stayed strong mentally,” said Alcaraz. “I think that’s a really important part in this game. You have to be strong mentally if you want to overcome these kind of matches, a set down against someone that’s playing an unbelievable game.
“I changed my style a little bit, I changed my game a little bit and I think it worked very well. I’m really happy to beat Jannik and be in the final again.”
He will face Daniil Medvedev in the final after the fourth seed also came back from losing the opening set 6-1 to American Tommy Paul.
Paul, seeded 17, lost the second set on a tie break before a medical timeout and Medvedev took control as he won the decider 6-2.
