A fourth-round battle between Jannik Sinner and Joao Fonseca headlines Tuesday’s show at the Indian Wells Masters. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Learner Tien are also aiming for the quarterfinals.
Joao Fonseca vs. (2) Jannik Sinner
Sinner and Fonseca will be facing each other for the first time in their lives when they go head-to-head in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday. Fonseca’s first appearance in the last 16 of the Masters 1000 is well deserved. Out of sight, the 19-year-old Brazilian has won three matches in the desert – over Raphael Collignon, Karen Khachanov (from two match points down), and Tommy Paul.
After the bye, Sinner wiped out both Dalibor Svrcina and Denis Shapovalov in lightning quick fashion. The second-ranked Italian should play some extremely inspired tennis. This is a tournament he did not win and missed last season, and he is looking to bounce back from a slow start in his 2026 campaign. Despite Fonseca’s impressive performance against Paul on Sunday night, there was little injury concern. But even if he is 100 percent, the world No. 35’s first meeting with Sinner is unlikely to go well.
Choose: Sinner in 2
(25) Student Tien vs. (18) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Davidovich Fokina and Tien will be playing for the second time in their careers after the Spaniard went 6-2, 6-2 last summer in Washington, D.C. The rematch should be very competitive as Tien has a few more months of productive experience under his belt, but it’s one that should go in Davidovich Fokina’s favor. Conditions at Indian Wells are perfect for the world No. 19 and he is coming off a best-of-three-set win over Miami’s 2025 champion Jakub Mensik.
Tien didn’t play his best on Sunday and needed three solid sets to beat a very upset Ben Shelton. Although the 20-year-old American is always dangerous, he would prefer faster and slower conditions than what he faces in the desert. This should be one of the best contests of the fourth round, with the edge going to Davidovich Fokina.
Pick: Davidovich Fokina at 3
