Jannik Sinner moves in to thwart Denis Shapovalov at Indian Wells | ATP Tour

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Sinner settles to hinder Shapovalov in Indian Wells

World No. 2 awaits Fonseca or Paul in fourth round of ATP Masters 1000 event

March 9, 2026

Jannik Sinner finally found his rhythm at the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday, overcoming defensive constraints to beat Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-2 to stay in contention for a first Indian Wells title.

The PIF ATP No. 2 player lost his serve in the first set but quickly responded, gradually settling into the match and showing flashes of brilliance in the second set to seal the victory in 71 minutes. Sinner, who reached the semifinals at Indian Wells in 2023 and 2024, is reaching the fourth round for the fifth time in the California desert.

Cruise control🏎️@janniksin He reached the fourth round for the fifth time in Indian Wells. @BNPPARIBASOPEN | #tennisparadise pic.twitter.com/ugE0YUR9Pm

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 8, 2026

“As we all know, Dennis is a high-quality player,” Sinner said. “He’s a player in good form, so I’m really happy with my performance. I tried to be consistent at the baseline but also more aggressive in the second set, which helped me. It was a tough start for me, but I’m happy with how I responded.”

With the victory, Sinner improved to 2-1 in the Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Shapovalov and extended his winning streak against the southpaw to 19 matches. He will next face #NextGenATP Brazilian Joao Fonseca or Tommy Paul.

Shapovalov was seeking his first top-10 win since three wins on the road to the title in Dallas last year, but once the Italian found his range in the second set, he struggled to contain Sinner. Sinner delivered a series of stunning passes to take control of the game and earn another authoritative victory.

With his 96th ATP Masters 1,000 win, Sinner has tied Fabio Fognini, who retired last year, for the most wins at this level among any Italian player since the series began in 1990. The 24-year-old is also scheduled to complete the title in all six hard-court ATP Masters 1000 matches this week.

Italian ATP Masters 1,000-win leader (since 1990)

Sinner lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Indian Wells semifinals in both 2023 and 2024, and if they both reach the final, the two could compete again at the first ATP Masters 1000 event of the season. This will be the 17th meeting in their burgeoning rivalry.