<figure id="attachment_3302032" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3302032" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3302032" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/291930c2-13819958.webp" alt="" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3302032" class="wp-caption-text">Italy&#8217;s Jannik Sinner in action during their men’s singles match on day 7 of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. (EPA Images pic)</figcaption></figure>
INDIAN WELLS: Four-time major champion Jannik Sinner edged past talented Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/4) in a scintillating Stadium Court clash on Tuesday to reach the quarter-finals at Indian Wells.
The first meeting between the world number two Sinner and the big-hitting 19-year-old lived up to expectations, the fireworks sparking a raucous response from a crowd packed with enthusiastic Brazilian fans.
Sinner will face another fast-rising youngster in 20-year-old Learner Tien of the US for a place in the semi-finals.
Fonseca went toe-to-toe with the Italian in a tense first set but was unable to convert his lone break chance and Sinner failed to capitalize on two.
A couple of uncharacteristic Sinner errors helped Fonseca power to a 6-3 lead in the tiebreaker, but the Italian responded, denying one set point with an ace to launch a run of five straight points that sealed the set.
Sinner looked headed to a comfortable victory with a break for 4-2 in the second, but Fonseca wasn&#8217;t about to go quietly.
He broke Sinner to love in the ninth game and held for 5-5 as they went to a second tiebreaker.
An ace gave Fonseca a 4-3 lead in the decider, but Sinner surged home with four straight points, polishing off the win with a masterful forehand service return.
&#8220;I felt like trying to be as aggressive as possible was the key,&#8221; said Sinner, who is chasing a first title in the prestigious Masters 1000 event in the California desert.
&#8220;Joao&#8217;s an incredible talent, very powerful from both sides. He was serving very well.
&#8220;Maybe he dropped a little bit at the end of the second set, but I&#8217;m very happy to get through,&#8221; Sinner added.
Tien saved two match points to reach his first Masters 1000 quarter-final with a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) victory over Spain&#8217;s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
&#8220;Honestly, after saving match points going into the tiebreak, just felt like I was playing with house money almost, really had nothing to lose,&#8221; said Tien, a Southern California native who has fond memories of attending the tournament as a child.
Arthur Fils&#8217;s injury comeback gathered pace as the Frenchman upset ninth-ranked Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 7-6 (11/9) to book a quarter-final meeting with fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev.
Germany&#8217;s Zverev downed American Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-4.
Fils is in the Indian Wells last eight for the second straight year, but it&#8217;s been a twisting road to arrive there.
Tough competitor
Back trouble kept him off the courts for eight months, but since a return at Montpellier last month he has impressed with a run to the final in Doha.
The 21-year-old, now ranked 32nd in the world, appeared to be in control with a 4-2 lead in the second set. But he let that advantage slip away and trailed 0-5 in the tiebreaker before he steadied, saving five set points before wrapping up the straight-sets win.
&#8220;I was at 0-5 in the tie-break and I was going to my box and complaining and complaining,&#8221; he said, adding that the advice he got was to stop complaining and focus on the match.
&#8220;I tried to focus as best I could. Not too much emotion, celebration. Just tunnel vision and I am happy with it,&#8221; said Fils, who let the emotion emerge again with a mighty chest thump after putting away match point.

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