World No 2 Jannik Sinner powered past Learner Tien 6-1, 6-2 to book a semi-final showdown with fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev at Indian Wells on Thursday.
Sinner is in the semifinals at the prestigious ATP and WTA Masters 1000 for the third time, but he has never made it to the championship match.
The four-time Grand Slam champion was untroubled by 27th-ranked Tien, capitalising on a double fault from the 20-year-old American for a break in the second game and cruising from there.
Sinner broke Tien four times and saved all four break points he faced, including two in the final game as he closed out the match in 66 minutes.
Nothing could faze @janniksin today 😮💨
— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 12, 2026
The World No. 2 is back in the Indian Wells semi-finals where he will face Zverev for a place in the final!@BNPPARIBASOPEN | #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/423mTC26wu
Zverev reached the Indian Wells semifinals for the first time with a similarly comfortable 6-2, 6-3 victory over France's Arthur Fils.
Zverev became just the fifth player to reach the semifinals of all nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, an accomplishment he called "very special" as he joined a club featuring Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.
He was in control throughout against Fils, who was coming off an impressive win over ninth-ranked Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Zverev broke the 21-year-old Frenchman to open the match and his break for a 4-1 lead on a Fils double fault prompted a racquet-mangling outburst from Fils.
Zverev broke again at 4-2 in the second as he cruised to the victory, saving all three break points he faced.
"I think I played quicker today than the last couple of matches (against Fils). I think I took the time away and the ability for him to be extremely aggressive."
California Dreamin’ 🌴@AlexZverev is two wins away from his first Indian Wells title after a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Fils!@BNPPARIBASOPEN | #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/Chlaekx6MD
— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 12, 2026