Sports
Danill Medvedev stuns Carlos Alcaraz, faces Jannik Sinner in Indian Wells final
Daniil Medvedev hits a return against Carlos Alcaraz during the BNP Paribas Open men’s semifinal match in Indian Wells, Calif., March 14, 2026. After second-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner polished off No. 4 Alexander Zverev of Germany 6-2, 6-4, in the first semifinal in the California desert, most observers likely penciled in another Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz final of an ATP 1000 event.
But Danill Medvedev had other ideas.
The resurgent 11th-seeded Russian stunned the Spaniard, 6-3, 7-6 (3) and will face Sinner for the championship on Sunday at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif.
Alcaraz was 12-0 in 2026 and had won 16 consecutive matches, capturing the Australian Open and the ATP 500 event in Doha, Qatar. But Medvedev broke on his only two opportunities and saved four of five of Alcaraz’s break chances to snap a four-match losing streak to the World No. 1.
Medvedev, who has never won the title at Indian Wells, rallied from 30-0 down to break Alcaraz in the fourth game of the match and only lost three more points on his serve to take the first set.
Alcaraz had two set points in the 10th game of the second set, but the crafty 30-year-old held him off and the set reached a tiebreaker. Medvedev raced to a 6-1 lead and won the match on his next service opportunity.
“Playing someone like Carlos, you play many times, you lose many times,” Medvedev said. “He’s an amazing player with amazing shots, defense, attack, return, everything. So, you need to be at your best.”
After playing Zverev on level terms for the first four games, Sinner ran off the final four games of the first set and was back in his chair in only 32 minutes.
The second set was more competitive and Zverev had one chance to move ahead 4-2. But Sinner erased the one break point chance, broke the German in a five-point seventh game and coasted to and posted his sixth consecutive win over Zrerev.
“Yes … it means a lot to me,” Sinner said about reaching his first final at Indian Wells. “Third time that I play in semifinals, so I’m very happy to be for the first time in the final. Now we see what’s coming tomorrow.”
As many elite players do, Sinner took advantage of Zrerev’s second serve, winning 14 of 22 points. He recorded 16 winners and only six errors in the 83-minute match.
Sinner was questioned about facing Medvedev if the upset did take place.
“Yeah, you know, he’s back to very, very high level,” said Sinner. “Very big serve, I feel like. You know, he’s returning very well. Very, very deep.
“And I think Daniil has found again a good, good balance on court, winning a title in Dubai, coming here, making again great results. But also last time we played has been quite a while now.”
The two have met 15 times since 2020, but not since the Nitto ATP Finals in 2024. Sinner leads the series 8-7, winning eight of the last nine meetings after Medvedev captured the first six. They have faced off in five finals, with Sinner holding a 3-2 edge, including a five-set victory in the 2024 Australian Open.
Medvedev expressed confidence in procuring his third ATP title of the season and first at Indian Wells.
“If I manage to maintain the level I had throughout the tournament and maybe even raise it, I will have my chances,” he said.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Quakes, Sounders clash while off to sterling starts
Feb 28, 2026; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Earthquakes forward Ousseni Bouda (7) reacts after scoring a goal during the second half against the Atlanta United FC at PayPal Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images The San Jose Earthquakes try to continue their perfect start Sunday when they host a Seattle Sounders side coming off an impressive result in CONCACAF play.
After finishing 10th in the Western Conference last season, the Earthquakes (3-0-0, 9 points) are one of four West teams yet to drop points after three matches, and one of three yet to concede.
Most recently, Ousseni Bouda scored his second goal — again on an assist from new acquisition Timo Werner — to help San Jose earn a 1-0 victory last Saturday at the Philadelphia Union.
The visitors may have ridden their luck a bit in a game where the Union created more and better-quality chances overall. But Bouda suggested there was some value in grinding out that kind of result.
“I don’t think it was the best of our games,” he said this week. “We could have done better in possession, but we were able to get the win, and that’s something that we will take away, learning to win differently, especially.”
Werner, the former RB Leipzig and Tottenham man, still hasn’t started as he works back into shape following a German season when he was rarely used. But that could change Sunday after he played the entire second half against the Union.
Seattle (2-1-0, 6 points) has won two straight in all competitions after hammering West champions Vancouver 3-0 in Thursday’s opening leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup round-of-16 series.
Making his first start since he suffered a torn ACL a year and a day prior, winger Paul Arriola scored twice to suggest he could be a critical piece as the Sounders try to keep pace with the West’s four unbeatens.
“It’s not just the goals,” Seattle manager Brian Schmetzer said. “But some of his savvy play, some of his smart defending, helping Nouhou, there were a lot of good soccer plays, soccer experience that helped us in this game.”
Arriola and Osaze De Rosario’s inclusion also allowed Schmetzer to bring regulars Paul Rothrock and Daniel Musovski off the bench during a busy patch of the schedule. Rothrock scored the third goal of the contest and his second of the season in all competitions.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Victor Wembanyama returns as Spurs hold off Hornets
Mar 14, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates a shot in the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images Victor Wembanyama racked up 32 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and three blocked shots in his return to lead the host San Antonio Spurs to a 115-102 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday as two of the hottest teams in the NBA clashed.
De’Aaron Fox added 17 points for the Spurs, with Stephon Castle adding 15 points with 10 assists. Keldon Johnson scored 13 points and Luke Kornet contributed 10 for San Antonio.
Miles Bridges led Charlotte with 22 points while Kon Knueppel scored 20, Coby White had 18 off the bench and LaMelo Ball added 17 for the Hornets, who had a two-game winning streak snapped.
The Spurs are now 17-2 since the start of February, while the Hornets fell to 8-3 since Feb. 22.
The Spurs led by as many as 18 points in the second quarter and 13 at halftime before heading into the fourth quarter up 91-83. Bridges’ 3-pointer with 9:33 left brought Charlotte to within four points before San Antonio reeled off the next 12 points to expand its advantage to 104-88 with 6:05 remaining.
The Hornets were unable to chalenge down the stretch, with Wembanyama’s fifth 3-pointer of the game coming with 1:12 remaining to seal the victory and get San Antonio’s back on track after a loss on Thursday to Denver when Wembanyama was out with ankle soreness.
San Antonio used an 18-0 run, capped by two free throws by Barnes, in building an early 28-13 lead. The Hornets missed 13 consecutive shots during the Spurs’ surge before pulling within 31-24 after one quarter.
The Spurs were up 46-28 five minutes into the second quarter and finished the first half with an 8-0 run to take a 59-46 advantage into the break. Wembanyama had 18 points and eight rebounds before halftime for the Spurs while Fox added 10. Ball had 11 points for the Hornets in the first half.
Knueppel tried to shoot Charlotte back into the game in the third period, making three 3-pointers as part of his 17 points in the quarter as the Hornets cut San Antonio’s lead to 82-73.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Bruins down Caps in shootout, halt road winless streak
Mar 9, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin (38) checks Boston Bruins center Sean Kuraly (52) during the second period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Fraser Minten scored in the ninth round for the lone goal of the shootout, allowing the Boston Bruins to snap a seven-game road winless skid with a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Saturday.
Boston’s Jeremy Swayman and Washington’s Logan Thompson thwarted each of the other team’s first eight attempts in the shootout before the former denied Aliaksei Protas in the ninth. Minten then went to his backhand to tuck the puck past a sprawling Thompson to end the contest.
Boston defenseman Charlie McAvoy scored a pair of goals to extend his point streak to six games (four goals, four assists). He has totaled 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in his past 16 games.
Swayman made 25 saves for the Bruins, who were 0-3-4 in their previous seven road games. Boston also completed a three-game season sweep of Washington.
Washington’s Rasmus Sandin collected a goal and an assist and fellow defenseman Matt Roy also tallied.
Thompson turned aside 32 shots for the Capitals, who have lost five of their last seven games (2-4-1).
Roy’s blast from above the right circle sailed inside the near post to open the scoring 1:15 into the second period. Roy’s goal was his second of the season and first since Nov. 17.
Sandin, who notched an assist on that play, was denied on a pair of point-blank chances to double the advantage. Swayman extended his right pad to thwart a breakaway bid moments later before making a glove save on Sandin’s shot from the left circle midway into the session.
McAvoy’s one-timer from just inside the blue line fluttered past Thompson to forge a 1-1 tie at 11:57 of the second period.
Sandin finally broke through after his shot from the point deflected off the stick of Boston’s Elias Lindholm and past Swayman to give Washington a 2-1 lead at 3:12 of the third period.
McAvoy drew the Bruins even once again midway into the third period after he deflected Pavel Zacha’s shot past Thompson.
–Field Level Media
Quakes, Sounders clash while off to sterling starts
Victor Wembanyama returns as Spurs hold off Hornets
