Indian Wells, United States, : Four-time major champion Jannik Sinner edged talented Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/4) in a scintillating Stadium Court clash on Tuesday to reach the quarter-finals at Indian Wells.
The first meeting between the world number two Sinner and the big-hitting 19-year-old lived up to expectations, the fireworks sparking a raucous response from a crowd packed with enthusiastic Brazilian fans.
Sinner will face another fast-rising youngster in 20-year-old Learner Tien of the United States for a place in the semi-finals. Fonseca went toe-to-toe with the Italian in a tense first set but was unable to convert his lone break chance and Sinner failed to capitalize on two.
A couple of uncharacteristic Sinner errors helped Fonseca power to a 6-3 lead in the tiebreaker, but the Italian responded, denying one set point with an ace to launch a run of five straight points that sealed the set. Sinner looked headed to a comfortable victory with a break for 4-2 in the second, but Fonseca wasn’t about to go quietly.
