Photo credit: Tnani Badreddine-DeFodi-Getty
Turbulence swirled around Daniil Medvedev.
An assertive Arthur Fils was swarming net, a spiking 35 mph wind gust blew towels and a trash can across court—and the fifth seed found himself down a break amid a chaotic final set.
Multi-tasking master Medvedev absorbed it all with the competitive calm of a man savoring the challenge.
In a wild thriller, Medvedev converted his third match point when Fils pushed a near open-court backhand volley long to end a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(7) Indian Wells triumph.
Jumping for joy after surviving a two hour, 25-minute battle, Medvedev had cause for celebration.
The two-time finalist subdued talented 20-year-old Fils scraping into his third straight BNP Paribas Open semifinal. Moments after this thrill ride ended, a beaming Medvedev gave the heart sign to appreciate fans as a frustrated Fils flung his Babolat across the court.
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The fifth-seeded Medvedev will meet another rising young star, 21-year-old Dane Holger Rune, for a spot in his first final since he fell to Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 BNP Paribas Open title match.
Earlier, Rune converted six of 15 break points beating Tallon Griekspoor 5-7, 6-0, 6-3 for his first win over the Dutchman who toppled top-seeded Alexander Zverev from the draw.
The Medvedev vs. Rune semifinal is a rematch of the 2024 Indian Wells quarterfinals, which Medvedev won 7-5, 6-4. Medvedev’s most recent title came at the 2023 Rome where he edged Rune 7-5, 7-5 in the final.
The day’s second quarterfinal pitted Fils’ all-court acumen against Mevedev’s sharp counter strikes.
Trying to measure his overhead amid an unruly breeze, Fils flattened it into net—one of 19 unforced errors from the Frenchman in the first set—as Medvedev broke at love for a 2-1 lead.
Former No. 1 Medvedev made the break stand winning 12 of the last 15 points played on his serve in building a one-set lead.
In the first set, Medvedev’s precise play prevailed in extended baseline exchanges.
At the start of the second, Fils made a stand. In a punishing 44-shot rally, Fils drew the error that helped him earn triple break point.
The 20-year-old Frenchman drew the netted error breaking for 3-0.
Showing his athleticism and all-court skills, Fils sprung at net for three rapid-fire volleys en route to backing up the break for 3-0.
Mixing low off-pace slice backhands with booming topspin forehands, Fils fought back from love-30 down holding for 5-2.
Contesting his maiden ATP 1000 quarterfinal, a fired-up Fils charged to triple-set point lead in the following game.
When Medvedev scattered a forehand wide, Fils forced a final set after 77 minutes of play.
The lanky Russian converted his sixth break point breaking for a 2-1 lead only to see Fils break back and level the decider after four games.
An explosive player, who can rocket one of the fastest forehands in the game, Fils also showed fine feel around the net—and the daring to unleash the surprise serve-and-volley.
A flying Fils lasered a forehand to break for 4-2.
Two holds from his first Masters 1000 semifinal, Fils tried the serve-and-volley only to see the Russian rap a backhand return pass to break back for 3-4.
Deadlocked at 4-all, Fils was down love-30 when he rallied to bring it back to deuce. A whipping wind suddenly erupted and tossed towels and the trash can around the court like toys prompting chair umpire Fergus Murphy to briefly halt play. Fils held for 5-4.
Two games later the Frenchman blocked a high forehand volley holding for 6-5 but suffered a sudden nose bleed on the changeover. Play was stopped for about four minutes as Fils stuck a towel against his nose to stop the blood flow.
Despite the delay, Medvedev has reeled off 12 straight points on serve as he held to force the tiebreaker.
Crackling pressure escalated in the breaker.
Fils, who saved a match point beating Lorenzo Musetti earlier in the tournament, blasted a bold forehand down the line to save the first match point for 6-6 today.
On match point No. 2, Medvedev missed a backhand, but caught a break when Fils sent a forehand long to earn another match point at 8-7.
On a second serve, Fils showed guts serving-and-volleying. The Frenchman made the first volley, was in prime position for the second, but bumped it long. Fils, who made a series of slick volleys throughout the match, finished 22 of 36 at net.
An ecstatic Medvedev, who was pretty stoic much of the match, bounded around the court as if on a trampoline completing a hard-fought two hour, 25-minute match.
It's Medvedev's 15th ATP Masters 1000 semifinal and first since the Miami Open last March.