ATP Indian Wells: Francisco Cerundolo arranges Carlos Alcaraz conflict

World no. 26 Francisco Cerundolo will face Carlos Alcaraz within the Indian Wells quarter-final. The Argentine will play in his fifth Masters 1000 quarter-final following a 7-5, 6-3 overcome Alex de Minaur in an hour and 50 minutes.

It was a grueling baseline battle with solely 15 service winners and 41 exchanges containing 9 or extra pictures. The Argentine prevailed within the opener after keeping off a set level on serve within the tenth recreation. Cerundolo earned three breaks within the second set and despatched pale de Minaur packing.

🔴 Premier quart à Indian Wells pour Cerundolo 🇦🇷

Francisco Cerundolo domine le n°10 mondial Alex De Minaur en deux units (7-5, 6-3) et atteint son cinquième quart de finale en Masters 1000. 🫡

🇺🇸 Miami 22-23🇮🇹 Rome 23🇪🇸 Madrid 24🇺🇸 Indian Wells 25 🆕pic.twitter.com/pOngGWwJHY

— Univers Tennis 🎾 (@UniversTennis) March 12, 2025

Francisco offered the extra dependable numbers behind the second serve. Nonetheless, he confronted 14 break factors and denied 11. He grabbed 54% of the return factors and offered six breaks from seven alternatives. The Argentine constructed a 59-43 benefit from the baseline.

They sprayed the identical variety of unforced errors (39), and the lower-ranked participant hit 13 winners greater than his rival to make the distinction. The twenty fifth seed cast the benefit within the shortest, mid-range and most superior rallies to emerge as a deserved winner.

Francisco Cerundolo, Indian Wells 2025© Stream screenshot

The Aussie missed a backhand within the first recreation of the match to expertise an early setback. Francisco survived break factors within the second recreation earlier than struggling a break two video games later after a unfastened forehand, bringing Alex again to 2-2.

They traded extra breaks in video games seven and eight to remain neck and neck. The Argentine squandered recreation factors at 4-5 and confronted a set level. He saved it with a strong forehand and held for 5-5. Cerundolo gained a lift and clinched a break in recreation 11 with a fantastic assault and a forehand crosscourt winner.

The Argentine landed a drop shot winner in recreation 12 for 3 set factors. He squandered them earlier than seizing the fourth after de Minaur’s backhand error, wrapping up the opener 7-5 in 74 minutes! The highest-10 participant missed a slice within the first recreation of the second set and lose serve for the second straight time.

He pulled it again within the subsequent one, locking the outcome at 1-1. The Aussie sprayed extra errors at 2-2 and landed a forehand huge to expertise a break at love. Cerundolo fired a service winner within the sixth recreation, offering a maintain and shifting nearer to the end line.

Francisco landed an ace within the eighth recreation and moved 5-3 up, conserving the stress on the opposite aspect. De Minaur served to remain within the match in recreation 9. The Argentine made a push and drew the rival’s mistake to generate two match factors.

Cerundolo cracked a forehand down the road winner to seal the deal in model. Thus, he organized the quarter-final conflict with the two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.