Djokovic and Federer advance in Indian Wells

Sport360 staff 10:53 19/03/2015
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  • Novak Djokovic hits a forehand return against John Isner in their fourth round match at Indian Wells.

    World No1 Novak Djokovic took another step towards defending his Indian Wells title with a hard-fought 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) win over American John Isner on Wednesday.

    Djokovic has struggled in the past with the 6-foot-10 (2.08m) Isner's bombing serve on the hardcourts of the California desert.

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    But the reigning Australian Open champ got the best of his opponent in the key tiebreaker.

    Djokovic booked a quarter-final clash with 35th-ranked Bernard Tomic of Australia.

    Tomic eliminated fellow Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

    Djokovic now has a 6-2 advantage in career meetings, with nine of the sets going into tiebreakers. Isner has won six of those, so Djokovic felt fortunate to squeak through this time.

    Roger Federer returns a shot to Jack Sock during day ten of Indian Wells.

    Djokovic hammered seven aces and saved both break points he faced in the one hour, 31 minute match.

    Four-time Indian Wells winner Roger Federer needed just 69 minutes to oust American Jack Sock 6-3, 6-2.

    In the quarter-finals, the Swiss second seed will face ninth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych, a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 winner over compatriot Lukas Rosol.

    Federer and Berdych have met 18 times with the Swiss holding a 12-6 lead.

    World number three Rafael Nadal rolled over France's Gilles Simon 6-2, 6-4.

    The left-handed Spaniard hammered four aces and broke Simon five times to set up a meeting with hard-hitting Milos Raonic of Canada.

    Rafa Nadal in action during his game against Gilles Simon.

    Raonic hammered a 241 kmph (150 mph) serve en route to a 6-3, 6-2 straight set win over Tommy Robredo of Spain.

    Raonic is in his second straight quarter-final but he will have his work cut out for him because he has never beaten Nadal in five career meetings.

    Fourth seeded Andy Murray, trying to rebound from a subpar 2014, defeated Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-3 in the fourth round.

    Murray next faces Spain's Feliciano Lopez who upset fifth seed Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-4, 7-6 (7/2).

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