Why Carlos Alcaraz faces a new challenge as he prepares to defend Indian Wells title
Carlos Alcaraz will be the favourite to win a third successive Indian Wells titles at the first ATP Masters 1000 tournament, but he may face very different conditions when he arrives in California.
Alcaraz was in sensational form in this tournament last year, as he beat Jannik Sinner in an epic semi-final before seeing off Daniil Medvedev in the final.
He was equally dominant in 2023, as he beat Medvedev in the final once again, but the surface used for those two tournaments will be changed for this year’s edition of the tournament.
While it will still be an outdoor hard court providing a stage for the best male and female players at Indian Wells, the company supplying the court has changed for 2025.
The tournament was previously played on Plexicushion and will now switch to Laykold, with the difference likely to change the pace of the court and maybe even the bounce.
The Laykold courts serve up a lower bounce and a faster surface overall, but the conditions in the California desert will be a factor in how the courts play at Indian Wells.
Laykold is the company that has provided the courts for the US Open in recent years and they were also charged with supplying the courts for last month’s Abu Dhabi Open and the Miami Open later this month.
“Known for its pace, precision and consistency, the key markers of a high-performance tennis court and one of the biggest challenges professional events face, Laykold courts deliver 10 x greater consistency than the accepted industry standard,” reads a report on the Laykold website.
“As the official court surface of the US Open for the last 5 years, Laykold has consistently maintained Flushing Meadows’ court pace to within 0.6 of a point, year on year, court to court.
“This unrivalled precision is now being exported across events, elevating playing conditions and allowing the players to be the best they can be.
“This step-up in playing conditions is not the result of a one-size fits all formula.
“Each stop on the elite tennis circuit has its own requirements and identity which need to be upheld and celebrated.
“Famed for following the sun, each of hardcourt tennis’ stops, nonetheless, has its own unique climatic conditions to contend with, from extreme heat to atmospheric dust, humidity and air density.
“To deliver consistent court pace and quality, each surface has to be tailored to the individual tournament.”
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Alcaraz clearly relished the conditions at Indian Wells over the last couple of years, but he should not be hugely concerned by the change of surface.
After all, he confirmed he can be a dominant force on Laykold court in recent years, with his 2022 US Open win confirming he is a threat on any surface.
The Spaniard is heading to Indian Wells in confident mood as he prepares to return to play in the desert for the first leg of the ‘Sunshine Double’ that will conclude with the Miami Open later in March.
“I’m really looking forward to going to Indian Wells already; it’s a place I love to play and love to be at,” said Alcaraz. “I think the last two years have shown how comfortable I am there. Hopefully, this year it happens again.
“We’re going to try to do our best, prepare well these days, this week, to start the tournament strong, and hopefully, we can achieve that milestone of winning three consecutive times. So, let’s see this year.”
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