After reaching the BNP Paribas Open quarterfinals for the second consecutive year on Tuesday night, Carlos Alcaraz got closer to regaining the top spot in the world with three victories remaining. When Jack Draper was forced to withdraw due to an abdominal injury that first surfaced late in his Monday victory over Andy Murray, the Spaniard had a 6-2, 2-0 lead over the British player.

The two players' second ATP Head2Head showdown began with all the excitement of their first encounter, which Alcaraz prevailed in a close third set in Basel last October. Early on, both players made spectacular shots, but Alcaraz excelled at routine points and built a 2-0 lead by escaping 0/40 in his first serve game with timed power plays.

As the game went on, Draper's abdominal problem made it difficult for him to move and serve, which caused it to fall well below 100 mph. He only managed to win one point in the first two games of the second set after the physio had seen him in between sets, and then he retired, giving Alcaraz his 101st tour-level victory. Felix Auger-Aliassime, who stunned Tommy Paul in a third-set tie-break by saving six match points, will be his opponent going forward.