Indian Wells, CA (Sports Network) - Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will square
off in the quarterfinals after both survived fourth-round tussles on Wednesday
at the $4.33 million BNP Paribas Open.
Federer outlasted Swiss countryman Stanislas Wawrinka by a 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-5
margin on the hardcourts at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Meanwhile, Nadal edged Ernests Gulbis 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 to set up the blockbuster
match with Federer. The French Open champ Nadal was the Indian Wells winner in
2007 and 2009 and runner-up in 2011.
Nadal and Federer will meet for the first time in 12 months. Nadal leads their
career series by an 18-10 margin.
The Wimbledon titlist Federer is the reigning champion and a four-time winner
here. He is chasing his first title of the season.
Andy Murray, the No. 3 seed, beat Carlos Berlocq 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 and will next
face seventh-seeded Juan Martin del Potro, who overpowered German Tommy Haas
6-1 6-2.
The U.S. Open champion Murray was the Indian Wells runner-up in 2009.
Meanwhile, sixth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych handled Frenchman Richard Gasquet
6-1 7-5.
Also on Day 7, eighth-seeded French star Jo-Wilfried Tsonga came back to beat
17th-seeded Canadian Milos Raonic 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 in 1 hour, 54 minutes and
South African slugger Kevin Anderson upended 13th-seeded Frenchman Gilles
Simon 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. Raonic, who recently titled in San Jose here in
California, bowed out Wednesday with a match-ending double fault against
Tsonga.
The 2013 Indian Wells champ will collect $1 million.
The Sports Network