Streamlined, assertive and aesthetically pleasing. Stefanos Tsitisipas’ tennis sticks out like a sports car in a parking lot full of SUVs when his game is clicking on all cylinders, and that was the case on Sunday at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. 

In warm conditions with a light breeze blowing inside Stadium 1, the surging Greek blew by Italy’s Matteo Berrettini for the second time in two months, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the round of 16 and stretch his current winning streak to seven victories. 

It’s been halcyon days for Tsitsipas of late. He recently claimed his 12th career title in Dubai (where he took out Berrettini in three sets in the semifinals), which served notice to the rest of the tour that the ninth-ranked Greek is once again on the up, after a prolonged period of struggle that included a first-round loss at this year’s Australian Open. 

Armed with a new racquet, and a new lease on his tennis life, Tsitsipas has continued to play elevated tennis in the California desert. 

Tsitsipas was masterful from the service stripe, losing just eight points on serve from his seven service games against the 29th-ranked Italian. He never faced a break point and he was quick to get to his forehand in the rallies. He cracked 11 forehand winners to just three for Berrettini, and won all 11 of his points at the net. 

"First of all I’m pleased with the way that I handled my serve. I felt like I managed to win a lot of points with my serve-plus-one. It was working excellently today. I’m just pleased that my risks rewarded me."

In the second set he won the final four games, breaking for 4-3 and then punctuating his imperious display with a break at love in the final game. 

He feathered an unplayable forehand volley winner that closed the contest in one hour and eight minutes. 

Tsitsipas will face either Holger Rune or Ugo Humbert in the round of 16.

Paul Aims For Another Deep Run 

Tommy Paul, the No. 10 seed, was one set from what would have been his first Masters final last year at Tennis Paradise, but a turn of the ankle helped change the momentum, and Daniil Medvedev took over the match from there, defeating the American, 1-6, 7-6(3), 6-2. 

"He was playing pretty unbelievable, and I didn't know what to do, so the only thing I can do is try to continue to search for solutions," Medvedev said after making the escape. 

A year later Paul continues to push for bigger things. The 27-year-old eased past Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie on Stadium 2, 6-3, 7-5, and he will get another shot at Medvedev, who advanced on Day 5 when Alex Michelsen retired after two games, in the round of 16. 

It was a milestone victory for Paul, who snapped a three-match losing streak against Norrie and notched his 50th career Masters 1000 victory. Paul improved to 13-4 lifetime at Indian Wells with his win, and 12-3 overall in 2025. 

In other action Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor backed up his second-round win over top-seeded Alexander Zverev with a 7-6(3), 6-3 takedown of fire-balling Frenchman Giovanni Mpetschi Perricard on Stadium 4. The Dutchman is into the round of 16 at Indian Wells for the first time.