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Sinner controlled every aspect of the 64-minute match, facing only one break point en route to his 6-1, 6-1 first-round triumph.
Jannik Sinner. (Image credit: AP)
World number two Jannik Sinner dominated Czech qualifier Dalibor Svrcina 6-1, 6-1 on Friday, starting his campaign for his first Indian Wells hardcourt title.
Returning to the California desert after missing last year’s event due to a drug suspension, Sinner controlled every aspect of the 64-minute match, facing only one break point.
After Svrcina held serve for 1-1 in the first set, Sinner won nine consecutive games before Svrcina managed another hold. The Czech player fought determinedly, forcing Sinner to serve out the match, saving three match points in the final game before Sinner secured victory with another service break.
It was an encouraging start for Sinner, whose best performances in the tournament have previously ended in semi-final losses to Carlos Alcaraz. This year, he won’t face top-seeded Alcaraz or third-seeded five-time champion Novak Djokovic until the final.
“I feel mentally I’m in a good place,” said Sinner, who lost to Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Australian Open and was surprised by Jakub Mensik in the Doha quarter-finals last month. “I’m calm, I’m relaxed. But I’m also very happy to compete. We’ve done a lot of work. Many, many hours on court. Many hours in the gym. I’m trying to get a little bit stronger.”
Men’s fourth seed Alexander Zverev advanced to the third round by defeating Italian Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-4 without facing a break point. It was a promising start for the German, who lost his opening match last year and has never progressed beyond the quarter-finals in Indian Wells.
“I have struggled in Indian Wells before, but I feel different this year,” Zverev remarked.
Hungarian veteran Marton Fucsovics caused the first major upset by eliminating fifth-seeded Italian Lorenzo Musetti 7-5, 6-1. This was another setback for Musetti, who was playing his first tournament since retiring with a right leg injury while leading 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic by two sets in the Australian Open quarter-finals.
United States of America (USA)
March 07, 2026, 10:37 IST
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