By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday March 13, 2025

Indian Wells, California – Realtors around Palm Springs are desperately trying to find a way to hand Carlos Alcaraz their business cards after the Spaniard signed the camera lens with the question: “Should I buy a house here?”

In truth, Alcaraz already owns the place.



The Spaniard won his 16th consecutive match at the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday, taking out Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 7-6(4) to set a semifinal clash with Great Britain’s Jack Draper.

Alcaraz had to battle through blustery conditions and temperatures that hovered just above 50 degrees on a chilly desert evening, but he still found it in himself to play enough scorching-hot tennis to keep the bundled-up crowd fired up and on the edge of their seats.

“I think I didn't play as well as yesterday, but I think tennis is about not having a great day every day,” Alcaraz said. “So you have to play with your best that day. I think today I just survived. I just saved a lot of break points. I think I just played a decent match in the conditions.”



Maybe it wasn’t the cleanest match of Alcaraz’s winning streak at the tournament, but it was peppered with jaw-dropping shots and the explosive artistry that is the 21-year-old's calling card.

Cerundolo brought a wow factor to Stadium 1 as well.

The top-ranked South American on the ATP Tour had six break points early in the first set but couldn’t convert any of them, and it was the Spaniard who took control of the set for 5-3. He served it out, but quickly fell behind by a break in the second.

Just when it seemed like the set might be there for the taking for Cerundolo, Alcaraz hit back and levelled up at 4-all. He then brought things to a tiebreak and finished off his hard-hitting rival to reach his third consecutive Indian Wells semifinal.

This weekend Alcaraz is bidding to become the first player to complete an Indian Wells threepeat since Novak Djokovic in 2016. The only other player to achieve the feat is Roger Federer.

Alcaraz has yet to drop a set at Indian Wells this year.

Playing in his peaceful place, the defending champion looks comfortable tearing it up in Tennis Paradise.

"I'm lucky enough to bring family with me to tournaments, but I think tennis is a lonely sport," Alcaraz said. "So sometimes when you have or you feel peaceful in the place you're going, you feel great. So that's this case here. I feel peace. Here is peaceful.

"So I just feel great that way with the people that I have around.

"So that's why it makes this place really beautiful to me, and I think that's why I show my best tennis here."