Jannik Sinner continued his impressive run at the BNP Paribas Open, defeating Canada’s Denis Shapovalov with a commanding score of 6-3, 6-2. The match, which took place on March 10, 2024, lasted just 73 minutes. This victory propels the world No. 2 into the fourth round of the prestigious tournament for the fifth consecutive year, following a semifinals appearance in 2023 and 2024, where he faced off against Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, the current world No. 1.
Sinner, ranked as the second seed, showcased his skills against Shapovalov, who currently holds the No. 39 position in the ATP rankings. “Denis is a high-quality player, as we know,” Sinner remarked after the match. “He’s an in-form player, so I’m very happy with my performance. I tried to stay solid at the baseline, but also 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.”
Throughout the match, Sinner converted 4 of 8 break-point opportunities, while Shapovalov managed to convert 1 of 1. The statistics highlighted Sinner’s dominance, as he recorded 25 unforced errors compared to Shapovalov’s 11, and had a stronger serve, with 6 aces to Shapovalov’s 2. Sinner won an impressive 85% of his first serves, landing 28 of 33, while Shapovalov achieved a lower rate of 62% on 21 of 34.
Upsets and Surprises in Round of 32
While Sinner’s performance was a highlight, the tournament saw significant upsets, notably the exit of world No. 8 Ben Shelton. The American fell to fellow countryman and left-handed player Learner Tien in a tightly contested match, ending with scores of 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-3. The match duration was 2 hours and 9 minutes. Tien, the 25th seed, advanced to the fourth round for the first time, improving his head-to-head record against Shelton to 2-0. Following the match, Tien acknowledged Shelton’s struggles with illness, 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.”
At just 20 years old, Tien hails from Irvine, California, and described competing at Indian Wells as a “really a full-circle moment.” He out-aced Shelton 15-8, although it came with a higher number of double faults at 10 compared to Shelton’s 3. Both players managed to break serve only once during the match.
Other notable upsets included Brazilian Joao Fonseca, who eliminated American Tommy Paul, the 23rd seed, with a score of 6-2, 6-3. Additionally, Czech player Jakub Mensik, the 12th seed, was defeated by 18th-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain, who won 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.
In a thrilling encounter, Germany’s Alexander Zverev, the fourth seed, narrowly avoided an upset against the 28th-seeded Brandon Nakashima from the United States, winning 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-4. Meanwhile, the ninth seed, Felix Auger-Aliassime, triumphed in an all-Canadian matchup against Gabriel Diallo, with a score of 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3. Finally, American Frances Tiafoe, seeded 21st, defeated Italian player Flavio Cobolli, the 15th seed, with a commanding score of 6-1, 6-2. Frenchman Arthur Fils, the 30th seed, also advanced after overcoming Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 7-5.
As the tournament progresses, fans eagerly anticipate how Sinner and other players will perform in the upcoming rounds.
