World No. 2 Jannik Sinner continued his impressive run at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, defeating Canada’s Denis Shapovalov with a commanding score of 6-3, 6-2 on March 10, 2024. In a match that lasted just 73 minutes, Sinner advanced to the fourth round for the fifth consecutive year, maintaining his strong performance at this prestigious tournament.
Sinner, the second seed, previously reached the semifinals in both 2023 and 2024, where he faced off against Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, the current world No. 1. Against Shapovalov, ranked No. 39 globally, Sinner showcased his skill by converting 4 of 8 break-point opportunities, while Shapovalov managed only 1 of 1. The match was characterized by a stark difference in unforced errors, with Sinner committing 11 compared to Shapovalov’s 25, alongside Sinner’s dominance in aces, finishing with 6 to Shapovalov’s 2.
Reflecting on his performance, Sinner stated, “Denis is a high-quality player, as we know. He’s an in-form player, so I’m very happy with my performance. I tried to stay solid at the baseline, but also be 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.”
Upsets and Surprises in the Round of 32
While Sinner thrived, the tournament saw a notable upset as World No. 8 Ben Shelton was eliminated by fellow American Learner Tien, who is ranked 25th. Tien won the match 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-3 over the course of two hours and nine minutes. This victory marked Tien’s first appearance in the fourth round at Indian Wells.
Tien acknowledged Shelton’s struggles, stating, “Ben came out not feeling 100%. I don’t think he’s been feeling great all week, but he’s an amazing competitor and he came out and gave it his all. So I just want to say, huge props to him.” Tien, who hails from Irvine, California, highlighted the significance of this match for him, calling it “really a full-circle moment.” In an interesting statistic, Tien out-aced Shelton, hitting 15 aces compared to Shelton’s 8, although he recorded 10 double faults to Shelton’s 3.
Another upset was delivered by unseeded Joao Fonseca, who eliminated 23rd-seeded American Tommy Paul with a score of 6-2, 6-3. Additionally, Czech player Jakub Mensik, the 12th seed, lost to 18th-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina from Spain, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.
In a close match, Germany’s fourth-seed Alexander Zverev managed to avoid an upset, defeating 28th-seeded Brandon Nakashima 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-4. In other matches, No. 9 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime triumphed in an All-Canadian duel against Gabriel Diallo, winning 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3. Meanwhile, 21st-seeded Frances Tiafoe dominated 15th-seeded Italian Flavio Cobolli with a score of 6-1, 6-2, and Frenchman Arthur Fils, seeded 30th, overcame Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 7-5.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Sinner and the remaining competitors as they vie for the prestigious title at Indian Wells.
