TIE-BREAKFAST - 07/03 Indian Wells

Good morning and welcome back to TIE-Breakfast.

Ace Cream's morning briefing that tells you everything you need to know before starting your day.

Today is Saturday, March 7, in Indian Wells it's 11:30 PM and it's 14 degrees. Alright, let's go.

Today's menu

• 🇮🇹 Sinner demolishes Svrcina: 6-1 6-1, sixty-four minutes and already looking ahead to the next round
• 🇮🇹 Musetti out in the second round, Fucsovics overwhelms him in straight sets
• 🇩🇪 Zverev beats Berrettini with flawless serving
• 🇫🇷 Monfils bids farewell to Indian Wells in tears, Auger-Aliassime eliminates him in three sets
• 🇮🇹 Paolini mounts comeback against Potapova and advances to the third round
• 🎾 Alcaraz and Djokovic debut today: action-packed day in the second round

WHAT HAPPENED OVERNIGHT:

🇮🇹 Sinner Demolishes Svrcina On Debut

Jannik Sinner defeated Czech qualifier Dalibor Svrcina 6-1, 6-1 in sixty-four minutes, conceding just two games in his Indian Wells opener. From 1-1 in the first set, Sinner reeled off nine consecutive games before his opponent won another, converting fifteen of seventeen net points.

More than the scoreline, what stood out was how Sinner managed the match, consistently playing close to the baseline and pushing Svrcina further and further back, creating space to finish points at the net. In his first match since the loss to Mensik in Doha, the impression is of a player who has rediscovered his clarity and court control. In the next round he faces Denis Shapovalov, who eliminated 29th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry in a third-set tiebreak.

🇮🇹 Musetti Eliminated By Fucsovics

Lorenzo Musetti was knocked out in the second round, beaten by Marton Fucsovics 7-5, 6-1 in eighty-nine minutes. Twenty-six unforced errors and an ineffective serve told the story of a night to forget for the world number five.

The first set was competitive until 5-5, then Musetti was broken and the set slipped away. In the second, the collapse was stark: Fucsovics played with a tactical precision that surprised, but the Italian's performance, in his first hard-court match of the year after the Australian disappointment, leaves more questions than answers. Matches like these, against opponents who shouldn't represent an insurmountable obstacle, usually say more about a player's mental state than their technical one.

🇩🇪 Zverev Beats Berrettini With His Serve

Alexander Zverev defeated Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-4 in seventy-two minutes, without conceding a single break point in the entire match. The German finished with nineteen winners against eleven unforced errors, dropping just six service points across the first and second sets.

"Today I managed to be aggressive and push hard with my serve and forehand," Zverev said after the match, adding that he feels different this year at Indian Wells. For Berrettini, who had won his first round on Wednesday battling cramps and physical difficulties, the challenge had probably come too soon. Zverev takes his record to five wins in their eight meetings, the first since 2021 after the Italian had won the last two.

🇫🇷 Monfils Bids Farewell To Indian Wells To Applause

Felix Auger-Aliassime eliminated Gael Monfils 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and twenty minutes, ending the Frenchman's seventeenth and final appearance in the California desert. The Stadium 3 crowd gave him a prolonged standing ovation.

Monfils won the first set playing with the energy and flair that have defined him for twenty years, but Auger-Aliassime found his rhythm in the following sets, imposing a pace the thirty-nine-year-old could no longer sustain. "It's an incredible tournament for me. As a kid I always dreamed of playing in big tournaments, in front of big crowds, and this one has always lived up to every expectation," Monfils told reporters. No formal speech on court, just a quiet wave to every corner of the arena, which perhaps says more than any words could.

🇮🇹 Paolini Comes Back Against Potapova And Advances To Third Round

Jasmine Paolini defeated Anastasia Potapova 6-7, 6-2, 6-3 in two and a half hours, turning the match around after losing the first set in a tiebreak. In the third round she faces Ajla Tomljanovic.

The first set was balanced until the end, but after losing it, Paolini shifted gears noticeably, winning the next two sets with a solidity that speaks volumes about the level of confidence she brought to the desert. For those who have followed her journey since Roland Garros, these comebacks are no longer a surprise, even if the consistency with which she produces them continues to impress.

🎾 Cobolli Into Third Round, Shelton Beats Opelka, Gauff Advances With Difficulty

Flavio Cobolli defeated Miomir Kecmanovic 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, claiming his first win at Indian Wells after losses in the 2024 and 2025 editions. Ben Shelton overcame Reilly Opelka 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 6-3 in nearly two and a half hours, also battling physical issues. On the WTA side, Coco Gauff defeated Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 7-6(5), coming back from 2-5 down in the second set with her trademark determination. Aryna Sabalenka dispatched Himeno Sakatsume 6-4, 6-2 in seventy minutes, without facing a break point: her one hundredth match as world number one.

WHAT'S ON TODAY:

• Alcaraz vs Dimitrov (Stadium 1, not before 1:00 PM local / 10:00 PM CET) - Tournament debut for the world number one, against a Dimitrov who has already cleared the first round. The Bulgarian remains a tricky opponent, especially in early-season outings.
• Djokovic vs Majchrzak (not before 1:00 PM local / 10:00 PM CET) - First match for Nole since the Australian Open final in January. Majchrzak shouldn't pose a threat, but the return to court after two months will be the real test.
• Swiatek vs Day (Stadium 2, not before 1:00 PM local / 10:00 PM CET) - Debut for the world number two, who arrives after the fourth round at the Australian Open and the quarterfinals in Doha.
• Rybakina vs Baptiste (Stadium 1, 11:00 AM local / 8:00 PM CET) - Return to court for the Kazakh, who hasn't played since February. Baptiste, an American playing at home, could take advantage of the atmosphere.
• Medvedev vs Tabilo - The Russian, after the Dubai travel saga, debuts against the Chilean in a tricky first round.
• Fritz vs Fearnley (Stadium 2, not before 6:00 PM local / 3:00 AM CET) - The American hometown favorite begins his campaign in front of the Indian Wells crowd.

Further reading

• Cobolli: "Surprised by my response. Sinner is a bit more on his own, but the group is united"
• Paolini-Potapova: the Tuscan advances to the third round after 2 hours and a half
• Indian Wells: five Italians in action, Cobolli to the third round, Musetti and Berrettini out
• Sinner surrenders two games in ruthless Indian Wells victory
• Auger-Aliassime outlasts Monfils in intense Indian Wells farewell

Enjoy your breakfast and have a great day.

See you tomorrow at 08:30 with TIE-Breakfast