Joao Fonseca takes on Jannik Sinner to open new ATP Masters 1000 venue in Indian Wells | ATP Tour
Fonseca dominates Sinner showdown, breaking new ground at ATP Masters 1000
Brazilian upsets 23rd seed Tommy Paul
March 9, 2026
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Joao Fonseca passed Tommy Paul in 1 hour and 22 minutes.
Written by ATP Staff
After saving two match points to defeat Karen Khachanov in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open, Joao Fonseca left no doubt in doubt heading into Sunday night’s match against Tommy Paul. The 19-year-old Brazilian beat the home favorite 6-2, 6-3 to set up his first Lexus ATP head-to-head match against Jannik Sinner.
“I don’t need to say that Yannick is a great player. He has won several titles. He and Carlos have won everything,” said the Brazilian. “So rest tomorrow and then come back on the court on Tuesday and try to apply as much pressure as possible and try to play like [I did today].
“We tennis players, we’re looking forward to playing against the top players. It’s going to be a lot of fun and hopefully I can win.”
Fonseca advanced to the fourth round of the ATP Masters 1000 for the first time with a dominant performance in Indian Wells. He is the first Brazilian to reach this stage in the 1000m Masters since Thiago Monteiro (Roma) in 2024, and the first in Indian Wells since Tomas Bellucci in 2012.
Fonseca has a 7-1 record against players ranked in the top 30 of the PIF ATP rankings since September, including two wins on the Road to Champions in Basel in October, and will next face a top-2 player for the first time in Sinner. This will also be his first time against a player currently ranked in the top 5 of the PIF ATP rankings.
Also in the evening match, Francesco Tiafoe avenged last week’s final loss in Acapulco by defeating Flavio Coboli 6-1, 6-2. Tiafoe ended the Italian’s six-game winning streak and earned his first top-20 win since defeating Coboli at home in Washington last year.
Tiafoe reaches the fourth round of Indian Wells for the second time in his career, having previously advanced to the semifinals in 2023. He will next face fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev, who defeated Brandon Nakajima 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-4 earlier on Sunday.
Good times from Big Enemy 😎@FTiafoe A lightning-fast victory over the Italians in straight sets, avenging the loss to Coboli in the Acapulco final. @BNPPARIBASOPEN | #tennisparadise pic.twitter.com/jccYhFwJB7
— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 9, 2026
Felix Auger-Aliassime also made it to the round of 16, where he will face Arthur Fells. The ninth seed defeated fellow Canadian Gabriel Diallo 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-3 to improve his record to 13-2 since early February, including the title in Montpellier, the final in Rotterdam and the semifinals in Dubai.
