The 2026 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells moves into the third round this Sunday, featuring two matchups that highlight the current depth of the ATP tour. Both matches present a contrast in styles and come off the back of hard-fought opening rounds.
Ben Shelton vs. Learner Tien
This all-American third-round encounter sees world No. 8 Ben Shelton face 20-year-old rising star Learner Tien. Shelton is known for his aggressive power game, while Tien has quickly gained a reputation for his tactical intelligence and defensive consistency. Although Shelton is the higher-ranked player, Tien holds a win in their only previous meeting (on grass, Mallorca 2025).
Tournament Results So Far
- Ben Shelton: After receiving a first-round bye as the 8th seed, Shelton overcame a difficult test against fellow American Reilly Opelka. Shelton dropped the first set but eventually secured a 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 6-3 victory, but he was at times not feeling 100% well.
- Learner Tien: The 25th seed earned his spot in the third round with a disciplined performance against Australia’s Adam Walton. Tien won the match 7-6(3), 7-6(8), navigating two high-pressure tiebreaks to advance.
Predictions for Shelton vs. Tien
An interesting lefty match-up. Tien has been the hottest player on tour in the last few months and it’s interesting to follow how far it can reach already this year. Both of these players need to step up their game from the previous round if they want to go deep here in California though.
Shelton is the more experienced player and also the bookies favorite today. I will give him the slight edge on these courts, if he’s 100% fit. Shelton to win in three sets.
Jannik Sinner vs. Denis Shapovalov
World No. 2 Jannik Sinner continues his quest for a maiden Indian Wells title against Denis Shapovalov. Sinner has been the most consistent player on hard courts over the last year, but Shapovalov remains one of the few unseeded players capable of matching his baseline pace. Their head-to-head record is currently split at 1-1.
Tournament Results So Far
- Jannik Sinner: The Italian enjoyed a dominant start to his campaign. After a first-round bye, he dismissed Czech qualifier Dalibor Svrcina 6-1, 6-1 in just 64 minutes. Sinner looked sharp from the outset, facing only one break point the entire match. Is he back to his best again?
- Denis Shapovalov: Shapovalov has had a much longer path to the third round. He opened with a three-set win over Stefanos Tsitsipas and followed it up with a grueling victory over 29th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry, winning 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(5). He has already spent significantly more time on court than Sinner this week.
Predictions for Sinner vs Shapovalov
Shapovalov has done well to progress to this round but his game has been far from perfect. Sinner on the other hand looked very sharp in the last round and I cannot see anything else than a 2-0 win for the world no 2 here.