World number one Carlos Alcaraz continued his dominant run at Indian Wells with a 6-1, 7-6(2) win over Norway’s Casper Ruud on Wednesday, while Jack Draper stunned world number three Novak Djokovic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) to reach the quarter-finals in the California desert.

Alcaraz relied on a near-flawless service game to take control early, racing through the opening set in just 37 minutes after breaking Ruud’s serve three times. The 13th-seeded Ruud raised his level in the second set and forced a tiebreak, but Alcaraz held firm to secure his 15th consecutive victory of the season and reach the quarter-finals for a fifth straight year.

"The conditions were difficult, to be honest. Today the ball was tough to control, but we both played great," said two-time champion Alcaraz in his on-court interview. "My first set was incredible. I’m really happy with my level today and hope to keep it going in the next round."

Alcaraz will face 2021 champion Cameron Norrie, who earlier defeated Australia’s Rinky Hijikata 6-4, 6-2. The Spaniard is looking to avenge a loss to the Briton at last year’s Paris Masters.

Draper Stuns Djokovic

Defending champion Draper pulled off one of the biggest wins of his career, defeating Djokovic in a deciding-set tiebreak after two hours and 35 minutes.

After losing the opener 6-4, Draper surged in the second set, breaking Djokovic early and maintaining composure under pressure before closing it with aggressive baseline play. The third set was tightly contested, with Draper leading 5-3 before Djokovic fought back to 5-5. Draper’s resilience paid off in the tiebreak, where he dominated to secure a statement victory.

"I still don’t feel like I’m playing at my best," Draper said. "I won that match through determination, problem-solving, and keeping a great attitude. I’m proud of how I regrouped. I haven’t been on tour for a long time, so beating top players like this is a huge confidence boost."

Draper will next meet Russian 11th seed Daniil Medvedev, who beat Alex Michelsen 6-2, 6-4 in just 87 minutes, continuing his strong form after winning last month’s Dubai Open.

Swiatek and Pegula Advance

World number two Iga Swiatek cruised past Czech 13th seed Karolina Muchova 6-2, 6-0, winning 10 consecutive games to secure her fifth victory over Muchova at Indian Wells.

"I felt I was playing better and better," Swiatek said. "I love playing here. It’s a great place to play tennis, and I hope to keep this form until the end."

Swiatek, aiming for a third Indian Wells title, will face ninth seed Elina Svitolina, who advanced after Katerina Siniakova retired due to injury.

American fifth seed Jessica Pegula defeated Belinda Bencic 6-3, 7-6(5) to claim her first win in five meetings with the Swiss. Pegula took the opening set, her first against Bencic, and held her nerve in a tight second-set tiebreak.

Rybakina Moves Forward

Third seed Elena Rybakina advanced after Sonay Kartal retired while trailing 6-4, 4-3. Rybakina, the 2023 champion, dominated early with a double-break lead and regained control after Kartal’s multiple medical timeouts. The Briton briefly leveled the second set before Rybakina broke in the seventh game, prompting Kartal’s retirement.

Rybakina will face Pegula in a rematch of their Australian Open semifinal.

-Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Pritha Sarkar, Tom Hogue, and Michael Perry/Reuters