ATP Tour

Sinner settles in, stymies Shapovalov in Indian Wells

Jannik Sinner eventually found his rhythm on Sunday at the BNP Paribas Open, where he overcame a cagey start before marching past Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-2 and continuing his bid for a maiden Indian Wells title.

The No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings dropped serve to love in the opening game but responded immediately, gradually settling into the match before showcasing flashes of brilliance in the second set to seal victory in 71 minutes. Sinner, a semi-finalist in Indian Wells in 2023 and 2024, is into the fourth round for the fifth time in as many appearances in the California desert.

Cruise control 🏎️@janniksin reaches his fifth Indian Wells fourth round in as many appearances at the event. @BNPPARIBASOPEN | #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/ugE0YUR9Pm

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 8, 2026

“Denis is a high quality player, as we know,” Sinner said. “He’s an in-form player, so I’m very happy with my performance. I tried to stay solid at the baseline, but also a bit more aggressive in the second set, which helped me. It was a tough start for me, but I’m happy with how I reacted.”

With the win, Sinner improved to 2-1 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Shapovalov and extended his winning streak against left-handers to 19 matches. He will next face #NextGenATP Brazilian Joao Fonseca, who moved past Tommy Paul 6-2, 6-3 (Read More).

Shapovalov was seeking his first Top 10 victory since earning three en route to the Dallas title last year, but he struggled to contain Sinner once the Italian found his range in the second set. Sinner delivered a series of stunning passes to take control and close out another authoritative win.

By recording his 96th ATP Masters 1000 victory, Sinner has already drawn level with Fabio Fognini — who retired last year — for the most match wins at this level among Italian players since the series began in 1990. The 24-year-old is also this week aiming to complete the set of titles at all six hard-court ATP Masters 1000 tournaments.

Italian ATP Masters 1000 Win Leaders (since 1990)

Sinner fell to rival Carlos Alcaraz in the Indian Wells semi-finals in both 2023 and 2024, and the pair could renew their rivalry again at the season’s first ATP Masters 1000 event should they both reach the final. It would mark the 17th meeting in their rapidly developing rivalry.