INDIAN WELLS.- The Italian Jannik Sinner defeated the Brazilian jewel this Tuesday with a double tie-break Joao Fonseca and advanced to the quarterfinals to dream of his first Indian Wellsthe same scenario that left the day for the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka.
On a central court packed with the noise of the Brazilians, the world number two beat Fonseca this Tuesday by 7-6 (8/6) and 7-6 (7/4), in an unprecedented duel that will remain well kept on the shelves of the tournament.
The Rio promise, 19 years old, number 35 in the ranking ATPput the favorite in trouble and came to dominate the first set tiebreaker 5-2, but Sinner reacted in key moments to take the initial set.
The second set maintained the same tone. Sinner had a 5-2 lead, but the Brazilian resisted and forced the second tie-break, in which the 24-year-old Italian once again showed himself more solid to close the match.
“I felt like the key was to try to be as aggressive as possible,” said Sinner, who is seeking his first title at the prestigious Masters 1000 in the California desert.
“João has an incredible talent, he is very powerful on both sides. He was serving very well. Maybe he gave in a little at the end of the second set, but I am very happy to have passed,” added the Italian.
His next obstacle will be the American Learner Tientwenty-fifth seeded, who eliminated the Spanish Alexander Davidovich Fokina by 4-6, 6-1 and 7-6 (7/4).
Sabalenka, also towards her first Indian Wells
The Belarusian Sabalenka became the first to qualify for the quarterfinals in the women’s division on Tuesday and is also heading towards her first title in this WTA 1000.
The world number one easily defeated the Japanese in the round of 16 Naomi Osaka.
In the second clash between the two on the WTA circuit, Sabalenka won 6-2 and 6-4 in one hour and twenty minutes of play.
“I’m happy to have put so much pressure on him, to have brought variety on the court today,” Sabalenka said.
“My serve worked well,” explained the winner, who hit eight aces to Osaka’s four, whom she broke three times.
Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam tournament winner, has failed to lift the Indian Wells trophy. Last year she let the title slip away against the Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva and in 2023 they also lost the final, on that occasion against the Kazakh Elena Rybakina.
On Thursday, in the quarterfinals, the number one will play against the young Canadian Victoria Mbokotenth seeded and 19 years old, who defeated the American Amanda Anisimovasixth seeded, with partials of 6-4 and 6-1.
For its part, the Australian Talia Gibson He continues with his dream tournament.
Coming from the “qualy”, the young 21-year-old ‘Aussie’, in 112th place in the WTA, beat the Italian and seventh favorite against all odds Jasmine Paolini by 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 in exactly two hours of play.
The Australian awaits the Czech in the quarterfinals Linda Noskova21 years old, who crushed the Filipina Alexandra Ealaalso 21, 6-2 and 6-0.
Zverev enters the quarterfinals
The French Arthur Filsmeanwhile, became the first to qualify for the men’s quarterfinals, where he will clash with the German Alexander Zverevfourth player in the world.
Fils, 21 years old and 32 in the ATP, defeated the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassimeninth in the ranking, 6-3 and 7-6 (11/9) in 1 hour 51 minutes of play.
Imperial with his serve (with 91% points won with the first serve), Fils took the first set in 39 minutes.
In the second, much more disputed, they went to a tie-break.
Auger-Aliassime quickly took a 5/0 lead in the tie-break and had everything to take the match to a third set. Fils reacted remarkably and saved five set points to end up kneeling the Canadian.
“With 5/0 down in the tie-break, I was heading towards my box complaining non-stop. My coach, Ivan Cinkushe was trying to tell me to stay focused… A little voice in my head told me that maybe he was right and that I should concentrate again,” Fils said at the end of the game.
“Sascha” Zverev, for his part, did not give the American any options Frances Tiafoetwenty-first seed, and defeated him 6-3 and 6-4 in an hour and a half of play.
