Jannik Sinner draws first blood at Joao Fonseca tournament with thrilling Indian Wells win | ATP Tour
Matching Report
Sinner builds first blood in the Fonseca race with a thrilling Indian Wells win
The Italian saved three points in the opening game of the tie-break
March 11, 2026
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Jannik Sinner is chasing his first Indian Wells title.
Written by Arthur Kapetanakis
If Tuesday’s match at the BNP Paribas Open is a preview of what’s to come between 24-year-old Jannik Sinner and 19-year-old Joao Fonseca, we may have just witnessed the birth of the next great tournament on the ATP Tour.
The much-anticipated first meeting between the youngsters reached a frenzy in front of a packed crowd. In two thrilling sets filled with firecrackers, Sinner stood the longest in holding times to advance to his third quarter-final at Indian Wells.
In the 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) victory, Sinner saved three points in the opening break and later mocked his failure to close out the match 5-2 in the second. The Italian eventually cruised to victory with a late breakaway in the second break, drawing first blood in what promises to be an exciting Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry for years to come.
“Joao is an amazing player, an amazing talent, very strong on both sides. He was very effective,” said Sinner after the narrow victory. “I felt like trying to be as aggressive as possible was the key. I lost a little bit of pressure at the end of the second set but she played amazing tennis outside. The atmosphere was amazing, so I’m really happy with today’s match.”
The No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings has now advanced to the quarter-finals of 11 of the 12 ATP Masters 1000s he has played since the start of 2024. With his 97 Masters 1000 win, Sinner broke the tie with Fabio Fognini for most wins by an Italian at that top level.
In an opening set of narrow margins, three break points combined to go begging before Fonseca seized control with a powerful burst to lead 5/2 in the tie-break. With Fonseca in action, Sinner got one small break and an inventive drop-volley to finish everything with a scratch for the Brazilian.
Perhaps paying for his efforts at that lung-bursting point, Fonseca’s level dropped slightly to allow for a new lease of life for Sini on 6/3. Taking full advantage, the World No. 2 ripped out a 6/6 winner and closed out the set with his fifth point in a row.
Sinner looked the second straight as he pressured Fonseca into a few errors to take a 4-2 lead in the second. But after not facing a break point since his opening service game, according to Infosys ATP Stats, he was broken at love when serving at 5-3-halfway through an inspired 12-out-of-14-point performance by Fonseca that brought the Brazilian crowd to its feet.
But Sinner delivered again at key moments in set two, winning the last four break points and sealing a hard-earned victory with a forehand winner.
Chasing his first Indian Wells title, Sinner will next face 25-year-old Learner Tien in the quarter-finals on Thursday. The 20-year-old American saved two points against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina earlier Tuesday in the desert.
