Indian Wells (United States): Former champions Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal edged closer to a blockbuster semi-final showdown at the ATP Indian Wells Masters with brisk fourth-round wins.
World number two Nadal overpowered Serbian qualifier Filip Krajinovic 6-3 6-4 to book his quarter-final berth in one hour and 26 minutes. Federer, seeking a record sixth title in the California desert, needed just 64 minutes to get past Britain’s Kyle Edmund 6-1 6-4.
Nadal said his performance on a windy stadium court wasn’t as good as his 6-3, 6-1 third-round win over Argentine Diego Schwartzman. But he was more than a match for 113th-ranked Krajinovic, breaking him early in each set and saving the only break point he faced.
Nadal, who lifted the Indian Wells trophy in 2007, 2008 and 2013, is in the last eight for the first time in three years after missing last year’s edition, skipping both Indian Wells and the Miami Masters with a hip injury. He next will take on 13th-ranked Russian Karen Khachanov, who beat world number nine John Isner 6-4 7-6 (7/1).
Khachanov produced just one ace to the big-serving American’s 12 but stretched his record over Isner to 4-0. Fourth-seeded Federer, fresh off his 100th career title, looked poised to finish off Edmund in less than an hour. But the Swiss great had to fight off three break points as he served for the match, just a small speed bump in a match that he took charge of early.
“He didn’t have the best start, so that cost him the first set,” Federer said. “Second set, it was definitely better. I think he probably struggled throughout a little bit. He never really got going. Conditions are tough with the glare, and the jump of the ball it’s sometimes hard to find the rhythm and timing.”
Federer will fight for a semi-final berth against 22-year-old Pole Hubert Hurkacz. Hurkacz, ranked 67th in the world, sent 25th-ranked Canadian Denis Shapovalov packing 7-6 (7/3) 2-6 6-3.
Although he’ll be an overwhelming favourite against Hurkacz, Federer said he wouldn’t take a semi-final meeting with Nadal for granted. “I hope I can get there,” Federer said, “but I’m not going to underestimate Hubert.”