Watch: Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, Daniil Medvedev, and other tennis players divided over best picture at Oscars 2023
As the world waits for the 95th Academy Awards with bated breath, numerous top tennis players including Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek have given their predictions for the best picture.
The Oscars ceremony is all set to be held later tonight (March 12) in Los Angeles. Some of the nominations for best picture this year are Tome Cruise's Top Gun: Maverick, James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Triangle of Sadness, and All Quiet on the Western Front.
Not too far from the Oscars is where tennis players are busy with the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. When they were asked to predict which movie was going to win the big award, the field was mostly divided between Avatar: The Way of Water and Top Gun: Maverick.
Daniil Medvedev: I think from what I heard from other people, Avatar should win it but I didn't watch it yet but I'm going to do it, especially if it wins the Oscars.
Aryna Sabalenka: I will go for Avatar: The Way of Water.
Carlos Alcaraz: Lets's say Avatar.
Coco Gauff: I feel like it's not going to be Avatar. I feel like 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' is going to win.
Maria Sakkari: I heard great things about Avatar but you know, couldn't spend three and a half hours. I'll go with the one I've seen — Top Gun.
Jessica Pegula: Well, I will say Top Gun was definitely my favorite movie the past year.
Ons Jabeur: I like Tom Cruise, you know. My heart is going with Tom Cruise (Top Gun: Maverick).
Taylor Fritz: I'll go with Top Gun. I think it was the best.
Stefanos Tsitspas: I would go for Top Gun: Maverick. I really liked the movie.
Casper Ruud: Top Gun: Maverick, so I'm going to go for that one.
Iga Swiatek: I only watched Top Gun. So I'm going to go with Top Gun.
Felix Auger-Aliassime: I'm going to go with Top Gun.
*plays Danger Zone*
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Carlos Alcaraz beats Thanasi Kokkinakis in BNP Paribas Open R1
After receiving a bye in the first round of the 2023 BNP Paribas Open, top seed Carlos Alcaraz defeated Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3, 6-3 in the second round.
After the match, the Spaniard expressed how much he enjoyed playing at Indian Wells and recalled his semifinal clash against Rafael Nadal last year.
"I feel really comfortable playing here, staying here. I felt the love since I came onto the court," Alcaraz said. "I have great memories, I made my first semi-finals at a Masters 1000 here, had that match against Rafa. It's so special to come back here."
"I would say I played my best, apart from everything — the points that I have to defend, the semi-finals that I have to defend. I tried not to think about that, just to play my game, to enjoy playing here," he added.
If Alcaraz wins against Tallon Griekspoor in the third round, he will face either Andy Murray or Jack Draper in the fourth round.