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Patna : World No 2 Rafael Nadal, 32, Spain, World No 4 Roger Federer, 37, Switzerland, World No 8 Dominic Thiem, 25, Austria, World No 13 Karen Khachanov, 22, Russia, World No 14 Milos Raonic, 28, Canada, World No 19 Gael Monfils, 32, France, reached men’s singles quarter-finals of ATP Indian Wells Masters, California, USA, on March 14, 2019.
Qualifier Miomir Kecmanovic, 19, Serbia, the World No 130, also reached the QFs after his Round of 16 opponent Yoshihito Nishioka, 23, Japan, the World No 74, retired due to injury in the second set trailing 0-1. World No 67 Hubert Hurkacz, 22, Poland, has also reached the QFs of the event.
Nadal beat World No 113 Filip Krajinovic, 27, Serbia, a qualifier, 6-3, 6-4 in the 4th round to enter the QFs of the event. Nadal broke Krajinovic’s service thrice in the match including twice in the first set while the latter broke his service once in the first set. Nadal fired 7 Aces in the match to 4 by Krajinovic, who had reached the final of ATP Paris Masters in 2017.
The winning percentage of both the players on their first serve was 69% each. But, the winning percentage of Nadal on his second serve was 83% compared to 39 % of Krajinovic. Nadal won 3 games in a row in the match to 2 by his rival. Krajinovic had upset World No 15 Daniil Medvedev, 23, in Round of 32. Nadal will face World No 13 Khachanov in the QFs on March 15, 2019. Nadal has won the Indian Wells Masters title thrice. Nadal had not played here in 2018.
Federer beat World No 23 Kyle Edmund, 24, UK, 6-1, 6-4 in the 4th round to advance to the QFs of the event he has won 5 times in the past. Federer broke Edmund’s service thrice in the match. He fired 6 Aces in the match to 4 by Edmund. Federer also won 5 games in a row in the match. Federer will face Hubert Hurkacz in the QFs.
Thiem beat World No 89 Ivo Karlovic, 40, Croatia, 6-4, 6-3 in the 4th round to advance to the quarter-finals of the event. Thiem broke Karlovic’s service twice in the match. Karlovic though fired 6 Aces in the match to 4 by Thiem. But, Thiem won three games in a row in the match. Karlovic had defeated World No 12 Borna Coric, 22, Croatia, in the second round.
Khachanov beat World No 9 John Isner, 33, USA, 6-4, 7-6 in the 4th round to enter the QFs. Isner though fired 12 Aces in the match to just 1 by Khachanov. Khachanov broke Isner’s service only once in the match. Khachanov committed 3 double faults in the match to 1 by Isner. But, Khachanov won 3 games in a row in the match. Khachanov’s winning percentage both on his first and second serve ( 79% & 86%) was much better than that of Isner (72 % & 67%).
Raonic beat World No 55 Jan-Lennard Struff, 28, Germany, 6-4, 6-3 in the 4th round to sail into the QFs. Raonic fired 12 Aces in the match to 7 by Struff. Raonic also broke Struff’s service twice in the match besides winning 5 games in a row. Raonic’s winning percentage both on his first and second serve ( 85% & 67%) was better than that of Struff (76% & 44%). Raonic will face Kecmanovic in the QFs. Struff had upset World No 3 Alexander Zverev, 21, Germany, in the 3rd round.
Monfils crushed World No 39 Philip Kohlschreiber, 35, Germany, 6-0, 6-2 in the 4th round to reach the QFs. Monfils broke Kohlschreiber’s service 5 times in the match besides winning 7 games in a row. Monfils served 4 Aces in the match to just 1 by Kohlschreiber, who had defeated World No 1 Novak Djokovic, 31, Serbia, in the 3rd round. Monfils will face Thiem in the QFs.
Hurkacz upset World No 25 Denis Shapovalov, 19, Canada, in three-sets 7-6, 2-6, 6-3 in the 4th round to enter the QFs. Both the players won 3 break points each in the match. Hurkacz won 4 games in a row to 2 by Shapovalov. Hurkacz fired 5 Aces in the match to 6 by Shapovalov. But, he also committed 6 double faults to 5 by Shapovalov.