Alcaraz frustrated with himself after Indian Wells semi-final exit

Carlos Alcaraz saw his bid for a third consecutive Indian Wells title come to an end on 16 March, admitting nerves played a major role in what he described as "one of the worst sets I have played in my career."

The four-time Grand Slam champion struggled to settle before his semi-final against Jack Draper, saying he was too focused on the Briton's strengths rather than his own game. Draper, ranked 14th in the world, claimed a 6-1, 0-6, 6-4 victory to deny Alcaraz the chance to join Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as the only men to win three straight Indian Wells titles.

"Obviously, I wanted to win a third in a row, but I can't expect to win every match," Alcaraz said. "I am not as upset about not winning the title. I am upset with myself, with how I approached the match and how I felt the whole day. I just couldn't calm myself down. The first set was probably one of the worst I have ever played."

Alcaraz admitted he had been uneasy throughout the day and struggled during his warm-up. "I always say I need to focus on myself, but today I was more concerned about his level than my own," he added.

The Spaniard had looked dominant in his earlier matches, dropping just 10 games across three rounds before edging past Francisco Cerundolo in the quarter-finals. However, his form fluctuated against Draper, something he acknowledged remains an issue.

"I think I'm improving, I'm getting more mature," Alcaraz said. "But I still have moments where I play at a really high level, and then my level drops a lot. I need to think about it, keep working and keep going."

Despite the disappointment, the 21-year-old remains optimistic about bouncing back at the Miami Open. "I learn from losses," he said. "The last time I lost here was in the semi-finals in 2022, and then I went on to win Miami. So I'll go for it again and give my best."