Dimitrov’s challenge appears on the road to Alcaraz | ATP Tour

Indian Wells

Dimitrov’s challenge reappears on the road to Alcaraz

The Bulgarian defeated Spanish in his last two duels

March 11, 2025

The fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open of Indian Wells, the heart of a tournament desired by any costume figure, Grigor Dimitrov is the challenge that awaits the current champion Carlos Alcaraz. Two of the players with the most complete blow repertoire of the circuit ensure an unmissable show in the second ATP Masters 1000 of the season. The ingredients are clear in the skirts of the Coachella Valley: offensive tennis, physicists to the limit and a natural vocation for attack tennis, a gift for fans in California.

The Bulgarian sealed his pass to the round of 16 on Tuesday with a demonstration of absolute power on the track. At 33, Grigor looked 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (2) to a tireless Gael Monfils, imperial in the delivery in a game that exceeded three hours of play. With that impulse in the legs, a demonstration of will in veteran, the old No. 3 of the world will launch to a party that no one has managed to win in Indian Wells in the last three years. There are 20 victories that Alcaraz accumulates in the tournament, a figure that Dimitrov will try to stop with its unique talent.

In a monumental direct clash for the circuit, Dimitrov will enter track with a unique perspective in hand in hand with the Murcian. The Bulgarian has managed to overcome Carlos in ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in the last two seasons, something that no other tennis player has achieved in the circuit. His triumphs in Shanghai 2023 and in Miami a year ago, the only blur on the road to Alcaraz on this tour for 2024, set the bases for a game full of faith in the ambition of old No. 3 of the PIF ATP Rankings. When the encounter asks for an extra effort, memories will be a nail to grab in the mind of the Central Europe.

Players with multiple wins against Alcaraz in ATP Masters 1000

Although Alcaraz dominates the record of the Lexus ATP Head2head (3-2), Dimitrov caught the two most recent clashes in the aforementioned duels in the golden category of the ATP Tour. In a rivalry that has traveled through all possible pallets, from the beaten earth to the grass, passing to the covered track, the hard surface outdoors has been monopolized terrain by the victories of Grigor so far.

A perennial candidate for the greatest tournaments throughout his career, Dimitrov seeks to take advantage of a good impulse in Indian Wells to feed a palmarés full of great moments. The 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion, which premiered his ATP Masters 1000 showcase with the Cincinnati Cup that same year, has accentuated his buzas in the tournaments of the golden category in recent times. Able to perch at the end in the last two years (Paris-Beber 2023, Miami 2024) will seek to advise a coup on the table in the Indian Wells desert.

The obstacle could not be greater before trying: the figure of Alcaraz, 12 years younger and brand new champion in the last two editions of the tournament.