Grigor Dimitrov sets up Carlos Alcaraz clash at Indian Wells after revenge win in first round

Nine days ago in Acapulco, Grigor Dimitrov lost to Terence Atmane in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, in the first round of the ATP 500 event.

On Thursday at Indian Wells, he got his revenge.

The former No. 3 battled through windy conditions to outdo the Frenchman after just under two and a half hours, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

He almost closed it out in straight sets, holding seven break points at 5-all in the second set that would’ve given him an opportunity to serve for the match—Atmane eventually held serve and broke in the next game to send it to a third set, but Dimitrov built an early lead and hung onto it until he had the victory in his pocket.

Dimitrov, who snapped a four-match losing streak with the win, is building his momentum back after missing almost the entire second half of 2025 with a pectoral injury from Wimbledon.

“Those are the matches that actually matter to me the most right now,” he said at the Tennis Channel desk after the match.

“Being able to win in such a manner, it gives me confidence, and that’s what I want right now. It’s been a difficult seven or eight months, and I’m just trying to find my game around the court a little bit more. I think overall the body’s been holding up well, but you just never know what you’re going to get on the day, and I think today was one of those days when I really had to dig deep in terms of my experience. I’ve been in the situation like today more than once, but being able to really register quick enough and knowing what I have to do in certain moments, it definitely helped.

“Here we are, back at it, slowly but surely.”

Awaiting the former No. 3 in the second round will be the current No. 1, Carlos Alcaraz, who received a bye in the first round.

The Spaniard is 12-0 on the year coming into Indian Wells.

“Of course it’s going to be a tough one—let’s see it for what it is,” Dimitrov said. “I love watching him play. He’s just crushing the ball.

"I love him, in a positive way, but at the same time these are the moments for me that the fun part begins—how, or what can I do differently, or new or interesting, that could potentially not only rattle him but put him in a position where he doesn’t really like that. You never know how the game will unfold because it’s always in your hands, and I believe if I do the right things and cut down on a few mistakes here and there, something good can come out of it. So I’m going to come out with that mindset, and just stay locked in.”

Alcaraz leads their overall head-to-head, 4-2, but there’s some good news for Dimitrov, who’s actually won two of their last three meetings—a 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 win in Shanghai in 2023 and a 6-2, 6-4 win in Miami in 2024, both hard-court Masters 1000 events.

But the Spaniard did win their last meeting, which was also at a hard-court Masters 1000 event—right here at Indian Wells last year, in the fourth round, and by an impressive 6-1, 6-1 scoreline.