Indian Wells (United States) (AFP) - World number two Jannik Sinner kept his bid for a first Indian Wells title on track Thursday, overpowering 20-year-old American Learner Tien 6-1, 6-2 to reach the semi-finals.

Sinner is in the semi-finals in the prestigious ATP and WTA Masters 1000 for the third time, but he has never made it to the championship match.

The 24-year-old Italian is back in the California desert after missing last year’s edition serving a suspension for a positive test for a banned steroid.

The four-time Grand Slam champion will face Alexander Zverev for a place in the final after the fourth-seeded German cruised to a 6-2, 6-3 victory over France’s Arthur Fils.