Daniil Medvedev forced to shield his face from Carlos Alcaraz smash moments before stunning Indian Wells victory

The semifinal at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells had everything: pressure, long rallies, and one scary moment that made the crowd gasp. During the match, Daniil Medvedev had to quickly protect himself when a powerful smash from Carlos Alcaraz flew straight toward him.

For a split second, it looked like the ball might hit him in the head. The moment happened during an intense rally. Medvedev sent back a high return that floated close to the net. Alcaraz rushed forward and smashed the ball hard toward Medvedev’s side. The shot came at close range. Medvedev instantly raised his hands to protect his face as the ball raced past him. Thankfully, it missed him. The crowd reacted loudly, realizing how close the situation was.

Even with that tense moment, Medvedev stayed focused. He went on to defeat Alcaraz 6–3, 7–6(3) in the semifinal of the BNP Paribas Open. The win ended Alcaraz’s 16-match winning streak at Indian Wells and sent Medvedev into the final after a strong performance.

Daniil Medvedev stays calm after Carlos Alcaraz smash scare during Indian Wells semifinal

The dangerous moment came midway through a rally when Medvedev returned a ball high into the air. It dropped close to the net, giving Alcaraz a clear chance to attack.

The Spaniard sprinted forward and smashed the ball hard toward Medvedev.Because of the short distance between the players, the shot came extremely fast. Medvedev quickly lifted both hands near his head to protect himself. For a brief second, many in the stadium thought the ball might hit him.Luckily, the ball missed and the rally ended safely. The match continued without any injury.After that moment, Medvedev kept playing steady tennis. He controlled the rallies with deep groundstrokes and smart positioning on the court.

His calm attitude helped him manage the pressure, especially in the second set.Alcaraz tried hard to force the match into a third set. At 4-5 in the second set, he earned two set points. But Medvedev responded with strong serving and forced mistakes from the Spaniard to escape the danger.According to ATP match statistics, Medvedev won four of the five break points he faced. He also captured 74 percent of his second-serve points, winning 23 of 31.

Those numbers helped him stay in control during key moments. The Russian eventually sealed the match in one hour and 37 minutes.After the win, Medvedev spoke about the tough battle. He said, “I was hanging in, in the second set, as I could. But I am playing great tennis and I am super happy to beat someone as strong as him.”Moments where players almost get hit by a ball are not new in tennis. Earlier this year at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic accidentally smashed a ball that flew dangerously close to a ball girl during a match against Botic van de Zandschulp.There have also been more serious cases. In 2020, Djokovic was famously disqualified from the US Open after a ball he hit struck a lineswoman during his match against Pablo Carreño Busta.Compared to those situations, the Medvedev-Alcaraz moment was simply a close call. Alcaraz was trying to finish the point, not hit his opponent.Still, the scene reminded fans how quickly a tennis match can turn dramatic. One powerful shot can change the atmosphere in seconds.