Daniil Medvedev advanced to the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Jack Draper, marked by a disputed hindrance call. The incident occurred during a crucial rally in the second set, where Draper's gesture led to the point being awarded to Medvedev after a video review. Both players addressed the controversy post-match, with Draper maintaining it did not sufficiently distract his opponent.
The quarterfinal match at the Indian Wells BNP Paribas Open on March 13, 2026, saw defending champion Jack Draper take on Daniil Medvedev. Medvedev dominated the first set, winning 6-1 in just 24 minutes, while Draper appeared fatigued following his earlier three-set victory over Novak Djokovic that lasted two hours and 35 minutes.
The controversy unfolded late in the second set at 5-5, with Draper serving at 0-15. During a rally, Medvedev's shot appeared to clip the line, prompting Draper to raise his arms briefly in surprise before the point continued for seven more shots. Draper won the rally when Medvedev's backhand went into the net, but the Russian immediately claimed hindrance and requested a video review from chair umpire Aurélie Tourte. The review overturned the decision, awarding the point to Medvedev, who noted the gesture affected his first forehand after it occurred.
Draper argued the call was harsh, stating, “I don’t think I did enough to hinder him... I don’t think it was enough to distract Daniil.” He added, “The rally carried on and I was able to win the point, so I don’t think I should have lost the point. I think it’s pretty harsh.” At the net, Medvedev apologized, saying, “If you’re mad at me, I’m sorry,” to which Draper replied, “I’m not at all – but I don’t think it distracted you enough.” Medvedev reflected, “Was I distracted big time? No. Was I distracted a bit? Yes... Do I feel good about it? Not really, but I also don’t feel like I cheated. I let the referee decide.” The umpire justified the ruling: “You did something different in the rally than you would normally do.”
The crowd booed Medvedev during changeovers and after the match, and online reactions debated the call's fairness, with some calling it subjective. This was not the first hindrance controversy at the tournament, following a similar incident in Rinky Hijikata's Round of 64 match against Luciano Darderi.
Medvedev, who has reached the semifinals at Indian Wells for the fourth straight year since 2023, will face world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz next on March 14. Alcaraz leads their head-to-head 6-2, including wins in the 2023 and 2024 finals here. Medvedev enters on an eight-match winning streak, having recently won titles in Brisbane and Dubai.
