The weather tends to be perfect in Tennis Paradise, so there’s no need for a roof on Stadium 1 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. But if there were one, Jannik Sinner and Joao Fonseca would have raised it on Tuesday night.

The Italian somehow found a way to get past the 19-year-old phenom from Brazil, but not before the pair engaged in a full-throttle tussle that had fans screaming at the top of their lungs for more.

In the end, they didn’t get it — not this time.

Sinner scored a 7-6(6), 7-6(4) victory, but nobody felt cheated by a contest that was compelling from start to finish.

“Man, is he fun to watch. Man, does he have a bright future. Man, did he scare Jannik Sinner tonight, and thrill the crowd,” said Jim Courier, who commentated the match for Tennis Channel. “He is good for tennis and we are lucky to have him in our sport. These Brazilian fans, they will travel and they are awesome.”

Fonseca, backed by giddy throngs of Brazilian fans, fought valiantly and had chances to win both sets. But in the end it was stoic Sinner who held court, delivering steady excellence in the critical moments of both sets to escape in straight sets.

“Joao is an incredible player, incredible talent,” Sinner said on court after the first meeting between the two players. “Very powerful from both sides. He was serving very well. Maybe he dropped a bit at the end of the second set, but I'm very happy to get through.

“I felt like trying to be as aggressive as possible was the key. I dropped a bit of intensity at the end of the second set, but he played incredible tennis out there, and the atmosphere has been amazing.”

Loud and proud

Stadium 1 erupted as Fonseca took a 6-3 lead in the opening-set tiebreak, but he couldn’t close out the four-time major champion, and the Italian snuck away with the final five points.

In the second set, the 19-year-old World No. 35 fell behind early but rallied behind his faithful when Sinner served for the match at 5-4, producing some of the most breathtaking tennis of the evening.

Pulsating power, pinpoint accuracy — it was bizarre to see Sinner treated with such disdain, even if only temporarily.

Once again Sinner turned the tide in the tiebreak, however. He rallied and took five of the final six points to book his spot in the quarterfinals, where 20-year-old American Learner Tien waits.

“It never took a breath tonight, right out of the gates they were both going toe-to-toe,” said Mark Petchey, also commentating for Tennis Channel.

And what was the prevailing sentiment when match point had been claimed? Bring on the next edition.