Carlos Alcaraz has been left stunned by Daniil Medvedev, analysing what happened after suffering his first defeat of the season.
It seems ludicrous to think that the 22-year-old has had to wait until mid-March to suffer that maiden loss in 2026, but he truly has been unstoppable thus far over the opening three months of the year.
Alas, it took a former world number one to finally end that run, doing so in emphatic straight-sets fashion.
Carlos Alcaraz tried to make sense of this loss afterwards, and could only really come to one conclusion.
Carlos Alcaraz admits he was shocked by Daniil Medvedev’s level
Speaking at his press conference after the match, Alcaraz was magnanimous in defeat despite it being such an alien concept for him in 2026.
However, he did admit that he was shocked by Daniil Medvedev in their match, having discussed earlier in the week about players raising their level to play him.
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Asked if it was mentally tiring to always be the favourite, the Spaniard admitted: “Not at all. I’m not thinking about it at all. I said it when I played against Rinderknech, for example, that what I’m just getting tired a little bit is to get that target on my back all the time. As I said, I have never seen Daniil playing like this before.
“But I have to accept it. I have to accept it, keep it going. But after everything, as I said, I just realised what I had to do and what I have to think before every match and before every tournament, and it is just playing for me, playing for my team, and for my close people.
“I’m not thinking about I need to win or I have to win. It’s just about chasing my goals, chasing what I just set up before every tournament. That’s my mindset, so I’m not getting tired about the people thinking I have to win every match.”
Elsewhere, despite his win, Medvedev explained why Alcaraz is still so much better than him after the match.
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Whilst it may have just seemed like a lighthearted joke earlier in the tournament, Alcaraz’s claim has become his reality, and it has ended his run at Indian Wells and his winning streak.
Speaking after his win over Arthur Rinderknech, he stated: I just sometimes get tired [of] playing Roger Federer every round. Sometimes [it] just feels they’re playing an insane level.”
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Medvedev certainly found that level last night, but the fact that he converted the only two break points he made was the crucial reason why Alcaraz lost that match.
Conversely, the 22-year-old had five break points, but converted just one.
Whilst his opponent certainly raised his level, Alcaraz had the chances to put this match beyond Medvedev and failed to do so.
