Sinner defeats Fonseca, Djokovic loses but says elbow is fine, Anisimova swept by rising star

Three minutes a day, know the world of tennis. Hello tennis fans, today is Wednesday, March 11, 2026. Welcome to listen and watch the News Lunch Report provided by "Tennis Home".

Early this morning Beijing time, the ATP 1000 Indian Wells Masters singles fourth round matches began. In a key match concluded around midday, the No.2 seed and world No.2 Jannik Sinner resisted the strong challenge from Brazilian rising star Fonseca, saving three set points in the first set. After a nearly two-hour battle, he ultimately won 7-6(6), 7-6(4) in twin tiebreaks, securing victory in their first encounter. This marks his third quarterfinal appearance at this tournament and his 19th career Masters quarterfinal.

In this contest, Fonseca also delivered an impressive performance, matching Sinner in both offense and defense without falling behind. He even broke Sinner's serve-to-win-the-match game in the second set with four straight points, a remarkable feat. However, he lacked a bit of sharpness in crucial moments. Sinner, on the other hand, exerted every effort to secure this hard-fought win. Future clashes between them promise to be even more thrilling.

Other matches: The No.4 seed, German Alexander Zverev, defeated home favorite Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-4, extending his winning streak against him to seven. This is his third quarterfinal at this event, his 36th Masters quarterfinal overall, and also his 100th hardcourt Masters victory.

Next, "Little Z" will face French rising star Fils for a semifinal spot. Fils saved five set points in the second-set tiebreak and ultimately defeated the No.9 seed, Canadian star Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-3, 7-6(9), reaching the quarterfinals here for the second consecutive year.

In another key match, home rising star Lerner Qian saved two match points on his serve at 4-5 in the deciding set, ultimately reversing Spanish star Fokina 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4) to make his first career Masters quarterfinal. At 20 years and 3 months, young Qian becomes the youngest home player to reach the Indian Wells Masters quarterfinals since Michael Chang in 1992. Next, he will compete against Sinner for a semifinal ticket.

Doubles court: In a second-round match, Djokovic/Sitsipas lost to the cousin duo Lindeknecht/Vaserot 6-7(4), 5-7, missing the quarterfinals. Responding to reporters' questions about him wearing an arm sleeve, Djokovic said, "My forearm has been uncomfortable for the past few weeks. I've experienced this before; it's common for high-level players. But overall, my body feels okay, and I hope it improves daily." After the doubles exit, Djokovic will focus on preparing for the "Djokovic vs. Draper" clash against the defending champion early tomorrow Beijing time.

Turning our attention to the women's tour. In the WTA 1000 Indian Wells singles fourth round matches early this morning Beijing time, the No.1 seed and world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka continued her hot form, defeating Japanese star Naomi Osaka 6-2, 6-4 in this clash between four-time Grand Slam champions, advancing first to the quarterfinals.

Next, she will face Canadian rising star Mboko for a semifinal spot. Mboko, in explosive form, swept home favorite Anisimova 6-4, 6-1.

In another match, Australian qualifier Gibson upset the No.7 seed, Italian powerhouse Paolini, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1, securing her first career win over a top-10 player and her first entry into a 1000-level tournament quarterfinal.

In the previous day's third-round matches, the No.3 seed and former champion Rybakina defeated Ukrainian Kostyuk 6-4, 6-4, extending her winning streak against her to four. She will face British dark horse Carter for a quarterfinal spot.

Finally, a guess-and-recognize puzzle. The image below shows a player who lost a match. He has retired. Can you identify who he is?

For the previous puzzle, fans provided the correct answer. Indeed, the person in the image is Chinese player Wang Yafan.

Source: Tennis Home, Author: Maverick