Italian star Jannik Sinner faced little resistance in his quarterfinal clash at the BNP Paribas Open, cruising past Learner Tien in straight sets. Notably, the victory came amid increasingly scorching conditions in the California desert, but Sinner admitted the heat hardly troubled him while facing the American.
Jannik Sinner Explains Why ‘Very Hot’ Indian Wells Conditions Didn’t Bother Him During QF Win Over Learner Tien
Having narrowly escaped a tough fourth-round battle against João Fonseca that featured two tie-break sets, Sinner ensured there was no repeat of such drama. The Italian imposed himself early with an assertive approach, leaving the southpow unable to keep pace.
Despite arriving with momentum after notable victories over Ben Shelton and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Tien struggled to cope with the relentless pace and accuracy of Sinner. The world No. 2 seized control early when a double fault from Tien handed him a crucial break in the opening set.
Sinner seized the opportunity and maintained that dominance throughout, racing to a 6-1, 6-2 victory in just 66 minutes. His execution on return proved decisive, converting four of the five break-point opportunities while extending his winning streak in ATP Masters 1000 matches to nine.
Although Tien could not sustain his level against Sinner, the latter was quick to acknowledge the youngster’s progress after the match. Speaking in his press conference, Sinner noted that Tien has been improving steadily and pointed to the noticeable development in his groundstrokes and overall game. He added that it will be intriguing to see how the American continues to evolve on the tour.
“No, I feel like he’s improving a lot. Regardless of the result of today, I feel like he’s improving. The groundstrokes are getting stronger. Physically, he’s improving a lot, you know. So he’s gonna be a very tough, tough player in the future to beat, of course. He’s shown this already against incredible players in the past and also in the present. So it’s gonna be very interesting to see how he’s gonna evolve,” he said.
Sinner was also asked how he was coping with the heat at Indian Wells. The Italian explained that arriving early at the Indian Wells Open and practicing during the hotter days before the tournament helped him adapt well to the desert temperatures.
“About the heat, today I felt quite comfortable. I came here quite early, and the week before the tournament it was very hot, so that helps me or helped me for sure. And now, yeah, I try to be ready for the next match,” he said.
Awaiting Sinner in the semifinals at the BNP Paribas Open is Alexander Zverev, who booked his spot with a comfortable 6-2, 6-3 win over Arthur Fils. The fourth-seeded German will also be looking to end a difficult run in their rivalry, having lost his last five encounters against the Italian. According to PFSN’s simulator, however, Sinner heads into the clash as the clear favorite, with 78% chance of reaching the final.
