match report
Sinner overtakes Tien, beats Zverev SF at Indian Wells
The world number two is chasing his first title at the BNP Paribas Open
March 12, 2026
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Jannik Sinner defeated Learner Tien to reach the BNP Paribas Open semi-finals.
Andy West
Jannik Sinner put on his speed skates and surpassed the Learner Tien in stunning fashion at the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday.
The PIF ATP No. 2 player used a stunning display of tennis to defeat reigning Next Generation ATP Finals champion Tian En 6-1, 6-2. Sinner, who defeated Joao Fonseca in a two-set tie-break in the fourth round, seemed determined not to get into another melee, with his aggressive approach proving too intense for his 20-year-old opponent.
Thien’s bid to win his opening Lexus ATP showdown against Sinner was undermined early when the American southpaw gave Sinner a break chance in the second game with a double fault. Sinner hardly looked back, winning four of his five break points in the 66-minute match, according to Infosys ATP Statistics.
After defeating Ben Shelton and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in straight sets, Tenn appeared to be out of shape in the second set on Thursday to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinals. The American was unable to counter the relentless power and precision of Sinner’s groundstrokes, and the Italian rarely looked in trouble en route to his ninth consecutive Masters 1000 victory.
Awaiting Sinner in the semi-finals in “Tennis Paradise” is fourth seed Alexander Zverev, who earlier easily defeated Arthur Fiers 6-2, 6-3. The 28-year-old Zverev became the fifth player to reach the semifinals in all nine Masters 1000 matches when he defeated No. 30 seed Fiers and will end a five-game losing streak against Sinner in Saturday’s semifinals.
Sinner has won five of the six Masters 1000 titles, and the Indian Wells trophy is the only one missing from his collection. If he beats Zverev on Sunday in the California desert and goes on to lift the trophy, he will become only the third man to complete the set, after Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
