2013 Tennis Thread

[Smallville22]

Azarenka, Stosur and Kerber advance

Australian Open champion and top seed Victoria Azarenka recovered from a sluggish start to beat Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova 6-4 6-1 in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday.
Trailing 1-4 in the opening set, the pony-tailed Belarusian then gave herself a ****-up call and seized control by winning 11 of the next 12 games to improve her record this season to 15-0.
Azarenka clinched the first set with an ace, then broke Hantuchova for a sixth time in the seventh game of the second when the twice former champion dumped a backhand into the net.
"First round matches are never easy and Daniela is such a great player," Azarenka said courtside at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. "She started really well. It was my first match after a while, so it's always a little bit tricky.
"She already had a match under her belt, plus I think she really feels very good here, winning two times before. So it caught me a little bit off guard. I needed a bit of time to realise ... that I had to step it up if I want to win the match.
"I adjusted really well, tried to make her hit out of her comfort zone, because at the beginning she was really going for her shots and making incredible winners. I changed the momentum."
Azarenka, who demolished Russian Maria Sharapova 6-2 6-3 in last year's final at Indian Wells, will next face Belgian Kirsten Flipkens, who earlier scraped past Romania's Monica Niculescu 4-6 6-4 6-3.
In other matches, former U.S. Open champion Samantha Stosur eased into the third round with a commanding 6-3 6-4 victory over American teenager Madison Keys while fourth-seeded German Angelique Kerber swept past Romania's Irina Begu 6-3 6-2.
Eighth seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark battled past Frenchwomen Alize Cornet 6-4 3-6 6-3 and 2008 champion Ana Ivanovic of Serbia hammered American wildcard Taylor Townsend 6-1 6-2.
Australian Stosur, seeded seventh in the elite WTA event at Indian Wells, broke her opponent's serve once in each set to win the first match of the day on the showpiece Stadium Court after an hour-and-a-quarter.
In bright desert sunshine, Stosur sealed victory on her first match point when wildcard Keys netted a forehand from the baseline and will next meet China's Peng Shuai, a 6-0 4-6 6-3 winner over Romania's Alexandra Dulgheru.
"I'm happy with the way I played," Stosur, who won her only grand slam singles title at the 2011 U.S. Open, said. "I thought I served very well.
"As soon as I put a little bit of pressure on her early on in her service game ... I really took a bit of a stranglehold on the match."
Stosur was lavish in her praise of the 18-year-old American, who reached her first WTA quarter-final in Sydney earlier this year.
"She's got a big game," the Australian world number nine said of Keys. "Her forehand is massive and she's got a very big serve. She's just got to put all the pieces together.
"She's only 18. I think she's got a lot of potential. She has those big weapons that win these big matches."
In earlier matches, 10th-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova eased past Swiss Stefanie Voegele 6-2 6-3 and Belgian Yanina Wickmayer beat Croatia's Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 3-6 6-3 6-2.

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal makes winning hard-court return, Federer cruises

While Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal won their opening matches in straight sets on Saturday, world number four David Ferrer became the first top seed to make an early exit from the BNP Paribas Open.
Spaniard Ferrer, a winner of two ATP titles this year who is known for his speed across the court, was ousted 3-6 6-4 6-3 by big-serving South African Kevin Anderson in the second round at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Four-times champion Federer, however, ****** little time in pounding Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin 6-2 6-3 with a ruthless display of seemingly effortless movement and razor sharp shot-making.
In a heavily anticipated evening encounter, Spaniard Nadal overcame early resistance from American Ryan Harrison to win 7-6 6-2 in his first match on a hard-court surface in 346 days, following a left knee injury.
Nadal, a twice former champion at Indian Wells, did not appear to be in any discomfort after being sidelined for seven months last year and he dominated the second set before wrapping up victory in just over an hour and a half.
"I am satisfied to be in the next round," said the Spanish left-hander who has enjoyed a successful tournament run on clay in recent weeks, winning two ATP titles after reaching three finals. "That's the most important thing.
"Two weeks ago, I didn't really know if I would be playing here, so I am happy to be here. I feel fine. My physical performance needs to improve. My movements need to improve."
Federer, who beat American John Isner 7-6 6-3 in last year's final at Indian Wells, was in peerless form on Saturday, blending a series of crunching groundstrokes with his typically dominant net play to break Istomin's serve twice in each set.
"It's nice to be back as defending champion and to start so strong today," Swiss maestro Federer said after sealing his win in just under an hour on his second match point.
"I came out and played exceptionally well so I am happy. It felt good from the start and I was able to maintain that level of play.
"I never thought he got into the match, you know, at all. That gives you obviously even more confidence. And then with best-of-three sets, we know things are over quickly."
Federer will next play Croatian Ivan Dodig, who eased past Frenchman Julien Benneteau 6-4 6-2.
Earlier, fourth-seeded Ferrer was overpowered by the towering Anderson in the final set as the South African booked his place in the third round after a contest lasting just under two hours.
Serving for the match in dazzling afternoon sunshine, Anderson earned his first win against the Spaniard in two career meetings when Ferrer dumped a backhand service return into the net.
The six-foot eight-inch South African, ranked 37th, clinched both fists in jubilant celebration before walking to the net to shake hands with his opponent.
"That was fantastic," smiled Anderson, who had surgery on his right elbow in late January. "Beating a top-five-in-the-world player is always a great feeling, especially against somebody like David, who doesn't go away."
Anderson, who broke Ferrer's serve once in the second set and twice in the third, will next face Finland's Jarkko Nieminen, who crushed Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-1 6-0 earlier in the day.
Ferrer was frustrated after squandering two break points on Anderson's serve in the ninth game of the second set.
"I had my chance at 4-4 ... but he played good in important moments," Ferrer said. "He played more aggressive, more consistent than me.
"In the third set I was a little bit tired and he was better than me. Of course I am disappointed because I lost my first match, but this is tennis. It's impossible to win always."
In other matches, Latvia's unpredictable Ernests Gulbis stunned ninth-seeded Serbian Janko Tipsarevic 6-2 6-0 while sixth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych advanced with a 6-2 6-4 win against Germany's Mischa Zverev.
Tenth seed Richard Gasquet of France beat Australia's Bernard Tomic 7-6 6-2 and twice former champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia upset 15th-seeded John Isner 6-7 6-3 6-4.

 

[Smallville22]

Fish thrilled to make winning ATP return

Simply being back on the tennis court felt like a victory for Mardy Fish on Sunday after the American returned to action following a lengthy recovery from a heart condition.
The fact that he was able to fight back from a break down in the third set to seal a 6-3 3-6 6-4 win against compatriot Bobby Reynolds at the BNP Paribas Open was double cause for celebration.
Trailing 2-4 in the decisive set, the 31-year-old Fish won the last four games to book his place in the third round against either compatriot James Blake or eighth-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
"It's been a tough few months, for sure," said Fish, who was embraced at the net by qualifier Reynolds at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden after the match.
"You sort of feel like it was a win just to get back out there. There are a lot of people that have dealt with what I've dealt with and not come back," he told reporters.
"It's nice to just play, first and foremost, and then you get out there and you want to win. I certainly didn't expect to win so soon.
"I've been playing for a quite a while now as far as months are concerned but competitive matches, you can't duplicate those."

HEART PALPITATIONS

Fish had not played in a tournament since the U.S. Open in September when he was ****** to pull out before his fourth-round match against Roger Federer because of heart palpitations.
The American first felt a problem with his heartbeat before a Davis Cup match in February last year and the condition worsened in the following weeks.
At the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami last March, he woke up with his heart beating three times faster than normal and later said he had feared he would die.
Fish had an operation in May to correct a form of arrhythmia in his heart but repeatedly had to delay his return to the ATP circuit while he continued to recover due to health issues related to his surgery.
"For the first three months after the U.S. Open, I had retired and non-retired in my head almost every week," said Fish, a winner of six ATP singles titles. "And there was a while where I was done.
"I had gotten it through my head that I was done when I was just trying to get my normal life back, just trying to have normalcy again.
"From what I have been through in the past six months, seven months, I hope to come out stronger. I know I'll be stronger. It's just nice to be out in the sun playing for something again."

 

[Smallville22]

Sharapova and Errani through at Indian Wells

Former champion Maria Sharapova survived a tough battle with Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro, winning 7-5 6-3 to book her place in the fourth round in Indian Wells.
The Russian world number three, seeded second at the elite WTA event, broke the Spaniard twice in a closely contested first set that featured several lengthy baseline rallies and lasted almost an hour.
Sharapova then broke the Spaniard's serve twice more in the second set, sealing victory in one hour 40 minutes when her 21st ranked opponent hit a forehand long.
"That was a tough match," Sharapova told reporters after winning her third round encounter on a sunny afternoon at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. "She's a quality player and she's capable of playing really good tennis.
"She's dangerous. She's beaten top players in grand slams before. She has a really solid game, a lot of variety, but she can hit the ball, as well. I certainly had some trouble today."
Sharapova, who landed her fourth grand slam singles crown at last year's French Open, knows she needs to raise her game a few notches if she is to win her first WTA title of the season at Indian Wells.
"There are a few things I definitely want to improve for the next one (match), but I was happy I got through on not a great day," said the former world number one, who lost in the semi-finals at the Australian Open in January and also in Doha.
The statuesque Sharapova, champion here in 2006, will next face Spaniard Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino, who pulled off a ***** upset by beating 14th-seeded Italian Roberta Vinci 2-6 6-4 6-4.
Third seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland was also given a tough workout, overcoming Romania's Sorana Cirstea 6-7 6-3 6-4, but fifth-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova advanced smoothly with a 6-2 7-6 win against Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine.
Sixth-seeded Italian Sara Errani had to work a little harder than the 6-3 6-1 scoreline reflected as she beat Sweden's Johanna Larsson to improve her win-loss record for the year to 20-7.
Errani, who clinched the seventh WTA title of her career in Acapulco last month, broke her opponent's serve twice in the opening set and three times in the second to win in one hour 21 minutes.
"The score was 6-3 6-1 in the end, but for sure it wasn't that easy a match," said the 25-year-old Italian, who is known for her doubles prowess.
"Many of the points were very long and she's a very strong player. It was a much tougher match than the score."
Errani, who reached her first grand slam singles final at last year's French Open, was delighted to become the first WTA player this season to post 20 match wins.
"For sure I'm very happy about that," Errani said with a smile. "I like competition much better than practice, so I play a lot of tournaments and a lot of matches. For the moment I'm doing well."
In other matches, Czech Klara Zakopalova overcame Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova 6-4 7-5 and Russian Maria Kirilenko scraped past American qualifier Mallory Burdette 6-3 4-6 6-2.

 

[Smallville22]

Djokovic fights through to third round

Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic had to work much harder than expected to book his place in the third round of the Indian Wells Masters.
Top seed Djokovic lost his bearings in the second set before beating Italy's Fabio Fognini 6-0 5-7 6-2.
"It was definitely a difficult challenge today," Serbian Djokovic said courtside after breaking the feisty Fognini in the fourth and eighth games of the third set to claim victory.
"Fabio played very well towards the end of the second set but it was all my fault," said the world number one, who squandered one match point in the 10th game of that set before being broken in the 11th when he netted a forehand.
"I had a very bad game at 4-2, made a couple of unforced errors, got him back in the match. Next thing you know we're one set all and a couple of tight games. I'm just happy to get through."
Djokovic, who had stormed through the opening set in just 19 minutes, wrapped up his fourth win in four matches against Fognini when the 36th-ranked Italian netted a backhand.
The Serb, a perfect 14-0 this year after winning the Australian Open in January and the Dubai Championships last week, will next meet Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, a 6-4 6-4 winner against Australia's Matthew Ebden.
"My confidence level is high obviously because of the run I had this year," Djokovic said. "Game-wise, everything works. I feel good about myself."
Croatia's Marin Cilic overcame Spaniard Albert Ramos 7-6 6-2, Germany's Bjorn Phau scraped past Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-2 2-6 6-4 and Australian Marinko Matosevic brushed aside Argentina's Juan Monaco 7-5 6-0.
Also Nicolas Almagro swept past fellow Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver 7-5 6-1 and Germany's Tommy Haas beat Spaniard Pablo Andujar 6-3 7-6.

 

[Smallville22]

Rusty Murray progresses at Indian Wells

British world number three Andy Murray had to dig himself out of an early hole before beating Russian Evgeny Donskoy 5-7 6-2 6-2 in the second round of the Indian Wells Masters.
US Open champion Murray, showing signs of rust in his first tournament on the ATP circuit for six weeks, lost a wildly fluctuating opening set, where he trailed 1-5 at one point, before seizing control of the match.
In blazing desert sunshine at Indian Wells, the 25-year-old Scotsman broke Donskoy's serve twice in the second set and also in the third before sealing victory after two hours 17 minutes when his opponent sent a backhand service return long.
"I've struggled here the past couple of years, I haven't won a match," Murray, who had not played competitively since losing to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final, said courtside.
"I was a little bit nervous in the beginning and he started very, very well ... he came up with some unbelievable shots. I just tried to hang in there and was hitting the ball much better by the second set."
World number three Murray, a runner-up at Indian Wells in 2009 and a losing quarter-finalist in 2010, said he had initially struggled against the 83rd-ranked Russian's style of play.
"I never saw him play before, so you don't know the patterns particularly well," he added. "He's pretty smart on the court, too. He doesn't kind of go for shots that aren't on and doesn't make many mistakes.
"And I have not played a match for six weeks, so you can't expect to play your best tennis straightaway. He played some really good stuff in the first set. Once I got into more of a rhythm I was able to dictate more of the points."
The 22-year-old Donskoy was playing against a top-10 opponent for only the second time in his career. He lost to 10th-ranked fellow Russian Mikhail Youzhny in the second round at St. Petersburg in 2010.
Murray could not fully explain why he had struggled at the California desert venue over the previous two years, on both occasions being eliminated in his first match, and again on Sunday.
"I don't know exactly," he said. "I felt good before the match today, and I felt good before my match last year, as well.
"This year, I started slow and I was probably nervous because, even though I had been practicing well, having it in the back of your head that you played poorly the last couple of years and struggled, that's always going to be a thought."
Murray will next face Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun, who battled past Slovakia's Martin Klizan 7-6 7-6 earlier in the day.

 

[Smallville22]

Marathon man Gulbis ready for Nadal

Marathon man Ernests Gulbis was all smiles after earning a fourth-round encounter with former world number one Rafa Nadal at the BNP Paribas Open by winning his 13th match in 17 days.
Latvian Gulbis, who became the first qualifier to clinch an ATP title this season with his victory at Delray Beach last month, fought back to beat Italy's Andreas Seppi 5-7 6-3 6-4 in a contest lasting just over two hours.
Ranked 67th in the world, qualifier Gulbis said he fancied his chances as he aims to keep his winning run going against Nadal, an 11-times Grand Slam singles champion who has twice triumphed at Indian Wells.
"I think the way I play right now, that should make a difference," the 24-year-old told reporters after improving his record against Seppi to 4-0. "I believe that I can win.
"I want to play as many as matches as possible against these top guys. Sooner or later I'm going to win something and it's gonna give me extra confidence.
"I need to win against the guys who are ranked 20 to 100 easier than I did, let's say today, and then I need to have enough shots against the big guys."
Prodigiously talented Gulbis, whose brilliant shot-making is often undone by a slew of errors, has won three career ATP titles and certainly does not lack self-belief.
Though beaten by Nadal in all four of their previous meetings, the Latvian relished the Spaniard's all-action style with his typically high-bouncing style.
"I like to play against him because his ball and his heavy spin, it's good for my timing," said Gulbis. "I like the opponents who hit spin, high balls. It's easier for me to control them.
"I had three sets (against him) twice, and just in the third set lack of experience, lack of fitness, lack of everything and then he just broke me down.
"You know, when I play him now I know how he plays. And of course he's a great player, but I honestly believe that if I play my best game I can beat him."
Nadal, continuing his comeback after being sidelined for seven months last year by a left knee injury, was gifted a spot in the last 16 when Argentina's Leonardo Mayer withdrew with a back injury before the start of their third-round match.

 

[Smallville22]

Azarenka, Kerber fight back at Indian Wells

Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka struggled to find her rhythm against Kirsten Flipkens in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open but finished strong to beat the Belgian 3-6 6-3 6-0.
After the wayward start, the top seed and defending champion stormed through the final set, breaking her opponent's serve in the first, third and fifth games before serving out for victory when a Flipkens backhand flew long.
"Kirsten showed some incredible tennis and I did not play very well in the beginning," Azarenka said courtside after improving her record this season to 16-0. "I just couldn't get into a rhythm.
"I wasn't feeling very well today ... I just wanted to go to ***** instead of playing tennis," the 23-year-old later said. "I couldn't breathe, and I was too stupid ... to use a tissue.
"But she really played well. I have to give her credit. She came out firing, playing so freely and going for every possible shot there was. I just didn't adjust well."
Asked how she had managed to rebound from her poor start, Azarenka replied: "I just blew out my nose, started breathing better, calmed down and started to see what I had to do, because before that I was kind of blinded."
The Belarusian is bidding to become the first woman to successfully defend the WTA title at Indian Wells since Martina Navratilova in 1991.
Azarenka, who demolished Russian Maria Sharapova 6-2 6-3 in last year's final, will next face Poland's Urszula Radwanska, who earlier overcame American Jamie Hampton 6-0 7-6 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Fourth seed Angelique Kerber also advanced, heeding the advice of her coach to come from 1-4 down in the final set to beat Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 6-1 7-6.
Told to rely on self-belief while concentrating on the strategy they had mapped out before the match, the German left-hander won five of the next seven games before clinching the tiebreak 7-4 on a hot morning.
Kerber, a semi-finalist here last year when she lost to eventual champion Azarenka, will next meet Spaniard Garbine Muguruza Blanco, who swept past Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova 6-4 6-0.
"Last time it was very tough so I knew it wasn't going to be easy today," said Kerber, who needed three sets to beat Wickmayer in their previous meeting.
"At 1-4, my coach came on court and told me to remember the game plan. He said, 'Just focus on your game, believe in yourself,' and I did it. I'm just happy to be in the next round."
The German world number six broke Wickmayer three times to breeze through the opening set in 31 minutes but then lost her way and failed to hold in her next three service games.
In all, there were eight breaks of serve in an erratic second set as the Belgian delivered a mix of crunching forehand winners with a series of unforced errors.
After Kerber leveled at 6-6, she dominated the tiebreak and sealed victory after one hour 22 minutes with a forehand winner down the line that left Wickmayer stranded at the net.
"After my coach spoke to me, I was just playing point by point, and believing in my game," said Kerber, who was ****** to withdraw from a Fed Cup match against France last month due to a back injury.
"His advice certainly helped. Before the tournament I was not sure how my back will feel after matches. Now my confidence is of course back and I feel good. I'm looking forward to play tomorrow again."
In other matches, seventh seed Samantha Stosur of Australia overcame China's Peng Shuai 6-3 3-6 6-2, eighth-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki crushed Russian Elena Vesnina 6-2 6-1 and 10th-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova pummeled Germany's Julia Goerges 6-1 6-2.

BNP Paribas Open results

Round 3

Urszula Radwanska (Poland) beat Jamie Hampton (U.S.) 6-0 7-6(4)

1-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) beat 28-Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) 3-6 6-3 6-0

24-Mona Barthel (Germany) beat 11-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) 6-1 3-6 6-0

8-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) beat 29-Elena Vesnina (Russia) 6-2 6-1

7-Samantha Stosur (Australia) beat 32-Peng Shuai (China) 6-3 3-6 6-2

10-Nadia Petrova (Russia) beat 21-Julia Goerges (Germany) 6-1 6-2

4-Angelique Kerber (Germany) beat 30-Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) 6-1 7-6(4)

Garbine Muguruza Blanco (Spain) beat Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) 6-4 6-0

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal and Federer on track for Indian Wells showdown

Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer stayed on track for a mouth-watering quarter-final showdown at the BNP Paribas Open after they both advanced to the last 16.
Spaniard Nadal, twice champion at Indian Wells, was gifted his spot when Argentina's Leonardo Mayer withdrew with a back injury before the start of their third-round match
Federer, a four-times winner of the ATP Masters 1000 event, had ***** back problems of his own but progressed with a commanding 6-3 6-1 victory over Croatia's Ivan Dodig in a contest lasting just 61 minutes.
Federer and Nadal last met a year ago, also at Indian Wells, when the Swiss won a semi-final battle 6-3 6-4.
Federer tweaked his back during the latter stages of his match against Dodig, but with a rest day on Tuesday he was not worried that it could affect his last 16 match on Wednesday.
"It's not the first time it's happened in my career, so, I know how to deal with it," said the world number two.
Federer will next meet compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka, who beat Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt 6-4 7-5 in an evening match at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
"I'm walking fine, I have a day off tomorrow. Everything is all right," added Federer. "It's happened during Grand Slams, during tournaments, in practice.
"It's just something you learn to deal with. And as long as I keep on playing, it's all right. I also know I have a longer break to recover so, from that standpoint, I'm not worried at all."
World number five Nadal, who is competing in his first tournament on a hardcourt surface in almost a year, was saddened when he learned that Mayer had withdrawn.
"That's bad news, for sure, for the fans and for Mayer, especially," said the Spaniard, who will next face Latvian Ernests Gulbis. "I talked with him. It seemed like it's nothing very, very bad.
"Just a typical back problem, beginning when he was warming up his serve. The physio says maybe in four days, five days he will be ready.
"That's the most important thing, that nothing is serious," said the Spaniard, who was sidelined for seven months last year by a left knee injury.
Though Nadal has beaten Gulbis in their four previous meetings, the Latvian looked forward to challenging the Spaniard after winning his 13th consecutive match on Monday.
"When was the last time I won 13 matches in a row?" 67th-ranked Gulbis said after fighting back to beat Italy's Andreas Seppi 5-7 6-3 6-4.
"Of course he's a great player, but I honestly believe that if I play my best game I can beat him.
"I like to play against him because his ball and his heavy spin, it's good for my timing. I don't like it when the opponents hit flat, deep balls."
Second-seeded Federer, the defending champion at Indian Wells, improved his win-loss record this year to 12-3 after overcoming Dodig in their first meeting.
Dodig gave the Swiss a tough challenge early on and the opening set went with serve until the eighth game when the Croatian made two consecutive double faults to be broken.
Federer then needed four set points to serve out, finally clinching the set in 34 minutes with a service winner that left his opponent floundering.
The Swiss maestro then took firm control, breaking Dodig in the first game, when the Croatian netted a backhand, and also in the third, when his opponent again double faulted.
Federer sealed victory by breaking Dodig for a third time, the match ending on yet another double by the 60th-ranked Croatian.
In other matches, sixth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych eased past Germany's Florian Mayer 6-4 6-1 while 10th-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet swept aside Poland's Jerzy Janowicz 6-1 6-4.

BNP Paribas Open results

Round 3

18-Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) beat Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) 6-4 7-5

13-Gilles Simon (France) beat Benoit Paire (France) 3-6 7-6(5) 6-4

2-Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat Ivan Dodig (Croatia) 6-3 6-1

10-Richard Gasquet (France) beat 24-Jerzy Janowicz (Poland) 6-1 6-4

6-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) beat 27-Florian Mayer (Germany) 6-4 6-1

Ernests Gulbis (Latvia) beat 20-Andreas Seppi (Italy) 5-7 6-3 6-4

5-Rafa Nadal (Spain) beat Leonardo Mayer (Argentina)WO

Kevin Anderson (South Africa) beat Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) 6-3 6-1

 

[Smallville22]

Tsonga edges past Fish at Indian Wells

Eighth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga withstood a fast start by Mardy Fish in the second set to beat the American 7-6 7-6 in a closely contested third-round match at Indian Wells on Tuesday.
The big-serving Frenchman clinched the first set 7-4 on the tie-break, then trailed 0-4 in the second as Fish raised his game in front of loud home support at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Both players struggled to hold serve from the one end of the Stadium Court due to dazzling desert sunshine and Tsonga won the next four games to level the score.
However the Frenchman was then broken in the ninth after Fish, on the lunge, conjured a delicately angled backhand drop shot, before Tsonga immediately broke back in the 10th.
The Frenchman swept through the tie-break 7-0 as the American made four unforced errors, wrapping up victory in just over two hours with a forehand crosscourt winner.
"I'm just happy to go through," a breathless Tsonga said courtside after improving his win-loss record this year to 11-3.
"It's not very easy to play a match against an American here. I hope I will have more support in the next round.
"I was just a bit lucky in that first set and then he played very well for a couple of games, then I played better," added the Frenchman, who won his 10th ATP World Tour singles title in Marseille last month.
Tsonga booked his place in the last 16 for a fourth time in six appearances at Indian Wells and will next face Canadian Milos Raonic, who battled past Croatia's Marin Cilic 3-6 6-4 6-3 earlier in the day.
Later on Tuesday, Australian Open champion and top seed Novak Djokovic was scheduled to take on Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov with British world number three Andy Murray to face Lu Yen-Hsun of Taiwan in an evening match.

 

[Smallville22]

Sharapova and Kvitova advance at Indian Wells

Former champion Maria Sharapova raised her game when it mattered to storm into the BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals with a 7-5 6-0 victory over Spaniard Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino.
Fifth seed Petra Kvitova also stormed into the quarter-finals, crushing compatriot Klara Zakopalova 6-2 6-3, while Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka faces Poland's Urszula Radwanska later on Tuesday.
After winning a tight opening set, Russian world number three Sharapova swept through the second in only 22 minutes to reach the last eight at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for a third consecutive year.
Second seed Sharapova will next meet Italy's Sara Errani, a 6-3 6-2 winner against Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli earlier in the day, in a re-match of last year's French Open final clinched by the Russian.
"I stepped up my game in the second set," Sharapova, who was champion here in 2006 and a losing finalist last year, said after wrapping up victory in one hour 18 minutes.
"The first set was so up and down I had to buckle down, stepping into the returns and getting in a few more first serves. It was a slow start. Just didn't get a good rhythm on her game from the beginning.
"I think maybe I was going for the lines a little bit more than I had to, especially in the first few games when you don't know too much about your opponent or haven't played her."
Sharapova had never previously played against the 20-year-old Arruabarrena-Vecino, who is ranked 87th in the world and won her first WTA singles title in Bogota last year.
"I thought towards the end of the first and beginning of the second set I really stepped it up," said Sharapova, who claimed her fourth Grand Slam singles crown at last year's French Open.
"I was being more aggressive, and really gave myself a better margin than I did throughout the first set."
There were five breaks of serve in an erratic opening set but the Russian earned the crucial break in the 11th game when her opponent pushed a forehand wide.
Sharapova needed three set points before serving out, then broke Arruabarrena-Vecino's serve three more times in the second set to advance with ease.
Sixth seed Errani became the first player to reach the last eight with a ruthless display against Bartoli, the ninth seed.
The 25-year-old Italian, who is known for her doubles prowess, converted seven of 12 break points to triumph in 88 minutes and improve her record for the year to 21-7.

BNP Paribas Open results

Round 4

2-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat Lara Arruabarrena Vecino (Spain) 7-5 6-0

5-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) beat 19-Klara Zakopalova (Czech Republic) 6-2 6-3

6-Sara Errani (Italy) beat 9-Marion Bartoli (France) 6-3 6-2

 

[Smallville22]

Murray, Djokovic through at Indian Wells

Third seed Andy Murray displayed sharp form while Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic recovered from a poor start as they both advanced to the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Scotsman Murray overcame Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun 6-3 6-2 on the Stadium Court in an evening encounter after top seed Djokovic had beatedn Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 6-1 in an error-strewn match in hot afternoon conditions at Indian Wells.
Seventh seed Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina brushed aside Germany's Bjoern Phau 6-2 7-5 while eighth-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga withstood a fast start by Mardy Fish to overcome the American 7-6 7-6.
World number three Murray was delighted to gain revenge against Lu, who beat the Scot in their only previous meeting, in the first round of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"It was a tough match," Murray said after breaking his opponent's serve twice in each set while also having to battle hard to hold his own serve early on.
"He started off well. I didn't serve particularly well to get myself into those situations, and then I served well to get myself out of some tough situations.
"He can kind of leave you flat-footed sometimes, and he certainly did that a lot in the first set. I knew it was going to be a tough encounter, so it was good to win in straight sets."
US Open champion Murray will next face Carlos Berlocq of Argentina, who eased past Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-2 6-2.
Djokovic came from 2-5 down to win his opening set 7-4 on the tiebreak, then broke his opponent's serve in the second and sixth games of the second set to seal victory in just over an hour.
Dimitrov, who at 21 was the youngest player left in the draw, made four double faults when serving for the first set at 5-3 and his challenge then quickly folded.
Serb Djokovic extended his winning streak to 20 matches, his last defeat coming in October to big-serving American Sam Querrey in the second round of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris.
Intriguingly the pair will meet again in the last 16 at Indian Wells, Querrey having scraped past Australian Marinko Matosevic 7-6 6-7 7-5 earlier in the day.
"I tried to hang in there and stay in the match," a relieved Djokovic said after improving his record for the year to 15-0. "I started very bad, very poor.
"He served very well but he made four double faults at 5-3 and got me back into the match. He made a lot of unforced errors and I just had to get the ball back in the court."
Asked about the challenge of Querrey in the fourth round, Djokovic replied: "It will be very interesting. He won our last encounter in Paris a few months ago. He has a very big serve."
In other matches, Canadian Milos Raonic fired down 16 aces as he battled past Croatia's Marin Cilic 3-6 6-4 6-3 while Germany's Tommy Haas won a cliff-hanger against Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 6-3 6-7 7-6.

BNP Paribas Open results

Round 3

3-Andy Murray (Britain) beat Lu Yen-Hsun (Taiwan) 6-3 6-2

7-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) beat Bjoern Phau (Germany) 6-2 7-5

Carlos Berlocq (Argentina) beat 16-Kei Nishikori (Japan) 6-2 6-2

1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat 31-Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) 7-6(4) 6-1

19-Tommy Haas (Germany) beat 11-Nicolas Almagro (Spain) 6-3 6-7(2) 7-6(2)

23-Sam Querrey (U.S.) beat Marinko Matosevic (Australia) 7-6(5) 6-7(7) 7-5

8-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) beat 32-Mardy Fish (U.S.) 7-6(4) 7-6(0)

17-Milos Raonic (Canada) beat 12-Marin Cilic (Croatia) 3-6 6-4 6-3

 

[Smallville22]

Querrey looks to down Djokovic again at Indian Wells

Sam Querrey was the last man to taste victory against Novak Djokovic but he may have to step outside his comfort zone to beat the world number one again when they meet in the BNP Paribas Open fourth round on Wednesday.
Querrey came from behind to beat the Serb 0-6 7-6 6-4 in the second round of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris last October. Since then, Djokovic has remained unbeaten for 20 matches, while starting this year with a perfect 15-0 record.
"That was five months ago," Querrey said of his only victory against the Serb, the top seed at Indian Wells.
"I'm just going to hopefully play well, hopefully be aggressive, hopefully on those break points, deuce points, have some balls go my way. I'm going to try and just enjoy it out there."
American Querrey had lost to Djokovic in their four previous encounters before Paris and at Indian Wells he will face a player who has triumphed in his first two events of the year, the Australian Open and Dubai Championships.
"He (Djokovic) does everything really well," the big-serving Querrey said after scraping past Australian Marinko Matosevic 7-6 6-7 7-5 on Tuesday to reach the last 16 here for only the second time.
"He has an unbelievable forehand, an unbelievable backhand, moves around the court great, returns great. I might have to go outside of my comfort zone a little bit and do things I don't like to do, and hopefully it will pay off for me."
Djokovic, who believes he is very close to his dominant form of 2011 when he began the year with a 41-match winning streak before ending his campaign with a career-best 10 ATP titles, has also consigned that Paris encounter to the history books.
"It's been a long time," the six-times grand slam champion said after recovering from a rocky start to book his place in the fourth round with a 7-6 6-1 victory over Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov on Tuesday.
"It's been a few months and I've played a few tournaments since then. I won four times against him. Yes, he has won the last encounter indoors, but different circumstances and conditions so we'll see.
"We'll play in front of his crowd and he has a big serve and big game and he can come up with the goods when needed. He loves to play also on a big stage."
Djokovic's only slight concerns were his error-strewn start on Tuesday and the fact that on Wednesday he would be playing in the evening for the first time at this year's event.
"During the night it's a bit slower, so we'll see how that goes," said the Serb, who won the title here in 2008 and 2011 after losing to Spaniard Rafa Nadal in the 2007 final.
"And I will need to definitely start better than I have done today, and try to step into the court a little bit more. From my standard, I haven't brought my game to the level I wanted."

 

[Smallville22]

Sharapova, Azarenka advance at Indian Wells

Former champion Maria Sharapova raised her game when it mattered to storm into the BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals with a 7-5 6-0 victory over Spaniard Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino.
Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka also cruised into the last eight, pounding Poland's Urszula Radwanska 6-3 6-1 in a match lasting just under 90 minutes despite being hampered by a sore ankle.
Fifth seed Petra Kvitova advanced with a comfortable 6-2 6-3 win over fellow Czech Klara Zakopalova but third seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland was knocked out, losing 6-1 4-6 7-5 to 13th-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko.
Russian world number three Sharapova won a tight opening set then swept through the second in only 22 minutes to reach the quarter-finals at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for a third consecutive year.
The second seed will next meet Italy's Sara Errani, a 6-3 6-2 winner against Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli earlier in the day, in a re-match of last year's French Open final clinched by the Russian.
"I stepped up my game in the second set," Sharapova, who was champion here in 2006 and a losing finalist last year, said courtside after wrapping up victory in one hour 18 minutes.
"The first set was so up and down I had to buckle down, stepping into the returns and getting in a few more first serves. It was a slow start. Just didn't get a good rhythm on her game from the beginning."
"I think maybe I was going for the lines a little bit more than I had to, especially in the first few games when you don't know too much about your opponent or haven't played her."
Sharapova had never previously played against the 20-year-old Arruabarrena-Vecino, who is ranked 87th in the world and won her first WTA singles title in Bogota last year.
There were five breaks of serve in an erratic opening set but the Russian earned the crucial break in the 11th game when her opponent pushed a forehand wide.
Sharapova needed three set points before serving out, then broke Arruabarrena-Vecino's serve three more times in the second set to advance with ease.
Top seed Azarenka, who initially struggled to find her rhythm before battling past Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 3-6 6-3 6-0 in the previous round, broke Radwanska's serve three times in the opening set and twice in the second.
"I wasn't feeling that well," said the Belarusian, who is bidding to become the first woman to successfully defend the WTA title at Indian Wells since Martina Navratilova in 1991.
"My ankle was bothering me, it's been bothering me for a while. But, on the bright side, I won the match. I could overcome those things.
"I decided to just take everything in my own hands and see where it takes me."
Asked whether her ankle problem could ***** her to withdraw from Indian Wells, Azarenka replied: "I'm not going to give any answer of pulling out, that's for sure.
"I'm going to do everything I can to be ready for my next match and fight as hard as I can."
Azarenka, who is unbeaten in 17 matches this season, will face eighth-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter-finals. Wozniacki, the 2011 champion here, beat Russian Nadia Petrova 7-6 6-3 in the fourth round.

:update:

 

[Smallville22]

Chief exec Draper to step down from LTA

Roger Draper will step down as chief executive of the Lawn Tennis Association in September after seven years in the role.
Draper, at times criticised for the nation's lack of success during much of his tenure, leaves after a year in which Andy Murray became the first British male since 1936 to win a Grand Slam and there are two British women in the top 50.
"It has been a huge honour to serve the sport that I love so much and to play my part in leading British tennis," he said.
"I have been very lucky to work with fantastic people both at the LTA and across the wider tennis community, and I would like to thank them all for their passion, commitment and hard work.
“As a result, the sport is entering a very exciting phase, and now is the right time for me to hand over the baton to a new leader who can build on what has been achieved in recent years, and take British tennis to new levels."
US Open champion Murray had a memorable year, reaching the final at Wimbledon and winning gold at the Olympic Games, also in SW19. Heather Watson is 39th in the world, with Laura Watson 43rd, after also impressing in the Grand Slams.
The LTA claims that there was also significant growth in the number of people playing tennis, including an 18% rise in the number of adults playing weekly in England.
Draper was responsible for the 'Blueprint for British Tennis', a long term strategy to grow the sport.
“Roger has made a significant contribution to the development of British tennis, and Peter Bretherton (LTA President) and I would like to thank him for all his hard work in driving these changes," said David Gregson, chairman of the LTA board.
"His passion and enthusiasm for the sport will be much missed. Roger will be staying on as CEO until the end of September, and we shall now start the process to appoint his successor."

 

[Smallville22]

Why teens no longer dominate women's game

Serena Williams' return to the top of the world rankings last month at the ripe old age of 31 underlined the shifting landscape at the pinnacle of the women's game.
Not so long ago, teenagers such as Martina Hingis, Jennifer Capriati and Monica Seles dominated the upper reaches of the sport's pecking order but now there is no woman under the age of 20 in the top 10.
Multiple reasons have been suggested for this sea change but, according to former world number one and a ***** prodigy Tracy Austin, two factors are largely responsible for the transformation.
"First, there is the age eligibility rule," American Austin told Reuters during a break in her role as a television analyst for Tennis Channel at the BNP Paribas Open being played at Indian Wells.
"Players are not getting as much experience nowadays at a young age. They are kind of slowed down through their path from making that transition from the juniors into the pros because of the limited number of events they are permitted to play."
The WTA's age eligibility rule prohibits players aged under 14 from competing on the circuit while those aged between 14 and 18 can take part in a limited number of events, rising incrementally.
"I also think that physicality is so great now that it takes a while for some of these younger **** to physically fill out and become strong enough to compete," Austin said.
"The game is just so much more physically demanding now."
Teenagers such as Steffi Graf, Seles and Sharapova have often been world number one but, more than a decade after first claiming top spot, 15-times grand slam champion Williams has shown she still thirsts for success.
"To me, Serena looks like she has got another couple of years at least in her," said Austin, who became world number one for the first time as a 17-year-old in 1980.
"She's an extraordinary athlete and I think because she has had some time off in her career, for extended periods where she was either injured or just away from the game, she still has the hunger.
"She is chasing history now, trying to get to the 18 grand slams that Chrissie (Evert) and Martina (Navratilova) have and that's enticing for her. That's allowed her to stay focused and hungry."
Only Margaret Court, with 24, Graf (22), Helen Wills Moody (19), Navratilova (18) and Evert (18) have won more women's grand slam singles titles than Williams.

CUPBOARD LOOKS BARE

As and when Williams does decide to end her playing career, the cupboard looks relatively bare when it comes to other American players ******* their way into the top 10, though Austin does see a glimmer of hope.
"I felt like that cupboard was barer a year ago," said the 50-year-old, who is still living in her native California where she keeps in close contact with the game through her role as a television analyst.
"Now I see the prospect of Sloane (Stephens) and what she is capable of and, coupled with fellow teens Madison Keys and Taylor Townsend, we are starting to see a few more numbers."
Stephens, aged 19, made a huge splash at the Australian Open in January when she beat Serena Williams in the quarter-finals before losing to the eventual champion Victoria Azarenka in the last four.
However, in the elite WTA event at Indian Wells, Stephens, Keys and Townsend were all knocked out in the second round.
"Sloane has said here that she has been overwhelmed with the expectations since getting into the semis of the Australian but maybe she is just going to take a little bit more time," said Austin.
"She certainly has huge weapons. But we are used to champions in the United States. We want champions.
"We don't want someone who is top 20, we want someone who is winning grand slams and those are big shoes to fill. When Serena retires, it's going to be a very sad day."
Asked why the production line of U.S. champions had slowed in recent years, Austin replied: "It's just globalization. Who'd have thought that you would have three players from Serbia, either at number one or winning grand slams in recent years?
"Who would have thought there would be two top women players from Belgium, which is such a small country? The game has become so global now that you have to share the mantle with everybody else."
Austin, who at 16 became the youngest U.S. Open champion in 1979 before claiming a second U.S. crown in 1981, believes there is only so much the United States Tennis Association (USTA) can do in its bid to unearth future champions.
"The USTA is certainly trying to work on it with the three different training centers, plus the different regional training centers throughout the country," she said.
"But you look at the champions that have been developed here, most of them have just been developed on their own with their own coaches and they just happened to come through the system."

 

[Smallville22]

Berlocq's loud grunts test Murray at Indian Wells

Andy Murray had to contend with the loudest grunting he has ever heard from an opponent during his 7-6 6-4 win over Carlos Berlocq of Argentina in the BNP Paribas Open fourth round on Wednesday.
The two players first exchanged words across the net during the ninth game of the opening set, which U.S. Open champion Murray eventually won 7-4 on the tiebreak.
Criticised by Berlocq for taking too long in between a few points, the third-seeded Scotsman responded by complaining to the chair umpire about the high decibel level at the other end of the court.
"He (Berlocq) complained I was taking too long between the points, and there were maybe one or two points where that could have been an issue," Murray, 25, told reporters after sealing victory in just under two hours on Stadium Court Two.
"But when someone is grunting like that it's every single shot. And also, when you're doing it that loud, but you aren't doing that on every single shot, there is obviously a reason for why you're grunting like that.
"If I'm going to be supposedly taking too long between points on one or two points, then grunting that loud for that long is like an extended grunt as well. It's making a noise when you're hitting the ball. It's annoying."
Told that Berlocq had earlier said he had no idea his grunting would bother an opponent, Murray prompted laughter by replying: "But that's what all of the real grunters say.
"You know, it's like sometimes silence and then it comes out of nowhere. It's a bit of a shock. So that's what I don't understand with it. To go from nothing to the loudest grunt you can do, it makes no sense."
Murray, who broke Berlocq twice in the second set to book his place in the last eight at Indian Wells, said he had never previously spoken to a chair umpire about on-court grunting.
"When I have been on the court or off it, it's never been something I have found to be really that off-putting," the world number three said.
"But if it's going to be suggested that I am using gamesmanship by taking too long, then you can't be making noises like that on the court. I haven't experienced it like that before.
"It was extremely, extremely loud, more than what I have experienced from any other player on the tour," added the Murray, who clinched his first grand slam crown at last year's U.S. Open after winning the Olympic gold at the London Games.
Murray, a losing finalist here in 2009, will meet seventh-seeded Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina in the quarter-finals on Friday.

 

[Smallville22]

Nadal chalks up another win on comeback trail

Simply reaching the quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Open was a victory in itself for Rafa Nadal as he celebrated a 4-6 6-4 7-5 win over Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis on Wednesday.
The Spanish left-hander enthralled a near-capacity crowd at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, coming from a set down in the fourth round to improve his record this year to 14-1 on his return from seven months on the sidelines with a knee injury.
Nadal showed no visible sign of discomfort as he took control in the last two sets, though he was unable to move as freely as he would have liked, especially forward and back, against a player known for his audacious shot-making.
"Today my movements weren't perfect, you know," said the 26-year-old, a twice champion at Indian Wells who won his 11th grand slam title at the French Open last June.
"Against a player like Ernests, the right thing to do, in my opinion, is play against his backhand and change to his forehand quick, no? But, today I didn't have legs for that.
"Changing direction from behind not from side is much more difficult, so I felt more comfortable with my movements playing against his backhand. I felt if I changed directions I had to run more, too."
Asked how his knee felt after his second match in five days, Nadal replied: "I said before the tournament my knee is some days good, some days not that good. Today so-so.
"But I fight. I fight every ball. I tried my best in every moment. I know I cannot go to some balls that in the past I went today, but I will do it in the future.
"So to win matches on days like today is more important than ever for me, and I am very happy about what I did on court, happy about the attitude," added the Spaniard, who had his left knee taped up through the match.

LOOKING SHARPER

Playing his first hardcourt event in a year, Nadal looked sharper and more confident with his movement about the court from the second set, and sealed victory in two hours 33 minutes after he broke Gulbis in the penultimate game of the third set.
Fifth seed Nadal, who was gifted a place in the last 16 when Argentina's Leonardo Mayer withdrew before their third-round match with a back injury, will next meet long-time rival and defending champion Roger Federer.
The two have not played since last year's semi-finals at Indian Wells where the Swiss triumphed 6-3 6-4, and this will be the earliest they have clashed at a tournament since their first meeting in 2004.
"Feels like it happened 100 years before," Nadal smiled as he reflected on his 6-3 6-3 victory over Federer in the third round of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Miami nine years ago.
"We have played many after that. Tomorrow will be a nice match. Always to play against Roger is a pleasure. This match arrives early for me, too early to go to the match with the feeling that I can play equal conditions than him."
Nadal, who has enjoyed a successful tournament run on clay in recent weeks, winning two ATP titles after reaching three finals, played down his chances of beating second seed Federer in the last eight.
"I think I am not that level today, but I gonna try, as I do always," said the Spaniard, who leads 18-10 overall in their career meetings.
"I gonna try to enjoy the match. I'm going to try to play well, make the match positive for me with any result.
"I am here in Indian Wells in quarter-finals. Two weeks ago I didn't know if I would be able to be here. So being in the quarter-finals is a fantastic result for me, and we'll see."

 

[Smallville22]

Kvitova ousted by Kirilenko, to face Sharapova

Erratic serving cost Petra Kvitova dearly as the fifth-seeded Czech was knocked out of the BNP Paribas Open by Russian Maria Kirilenko on Wednesday, losing 4-6 6-4 6-3 in the quarter-finals.
Kirilenko will next meet 2006 champion and compatriot Maria Sharapova, who beat sixth-seeded Italian Sara Errani 7-6 6-2 in a late evening match at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Left-hander Kvitova double-faulted 13 times during an error-strewn encounter which ended after almost two-and-a-half hours when the 2011 Wimbledon champion sent a forehand long on a steaming hot afternoon at the Indian Wells.
Kirilenko, who won her sixth WTA singles title at Pattaya City last month, squealed in delight while pumping her fists in celebration after extending her unbeaten record this year in three-set matches to 6-0.
"Finally I reach the semi-finals," a jubilant Kirilenko said courtside after reaching the last four at Indian Wells for the first time at the elite WTA event. "It is my 10th time playing here.
"I am really happy I won this match. I had some problems with my knee in the first set but I was able to keep fighting and win. Every time we play we have really tough ones.
"In the first set I was leading 4-2, and then suddenly she start to play unbelievable, a lot of winners. It seems when she's losing she's more relaxed. She can be very dangerous."
Kirilenko, who had upset third seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the previous round, broke Kvitova in the sixth game of the opening set but then failed to hold her serve in the seven and ninth games as the Czech took early control.
Kvitova seized an early 4-2 lead in the second set but her power game became increasingly erratic before she lost the set in unusual circumstances when, serving at 4-5 and 15-0, she made four successive double faults for the Russian to level.
The final set went with serve until the sixth game when the Czech again failed to hold. After breaking back in the seventh with a rasping forehand winner down the line, Kvitova lost serve in the eighth with her 13th double fault of the match.
Serving for the match, Kirilenko began poorly to trail 0-30 but won the next four points on three Kvitova unforced errors to wrap up the win and improve her record against the Czech to 4-3.
Asked how she had come back from 0-30 down in that final game, the Russian replied: "I just said to myself, 'Hit your serve as hard as you can because she is hitting the ball as if she doesn't care.' And I did.
"I have two wins over top-10 players here, and now I feel that I can be on this level. Nothing is scary out there. I can compete, and as you can see, I can beat them."
In a rematch of last year's French Open final won by Sharapova, the second-seeded Russian scraped past Errani in a tight opening set, clinching the tiebreak 8-6, but stormed through the second as she broke her opponent three times.
"It was definitely not my best match of the tournament, I started quite slowly today," Sharapova, a losing finalist at Indian Wells last year, said courtside.
"But I'm giving myself an opportunity to be back in the final and hopefully I will go further this time."
Asked about the challenge of playing fellow Russian Kirilenko in the last four, Sharapova replied: "She's played extremely well this year and it's never easy to play a compatriot."

 

[Smallville22]

Federer and Nadal to meet, Murray and Djokovic through

Defending champion Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal set up a mouth-watering showdown in the Indian Wells quarter-finals while Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic also progressed.
Four-times Indian Wells champion Federer last played Nadal a year ago, also at Indian Wells, when the Swiss won their semi-final 6-3 6-4, though the Spaniard leads overall in their meetings 18-10.
Australian Open champion and top seed Djokovic, who began his "evening" match in the early hours of Thursday morning local time, advanced with a 6-0 7-6 victory over big-serving American Sam Querrey.
Third seed Murray needed almost two hours to beat Carlos Berlocq of Argentina 7-6 6-4 and will next face seventh-seeded Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina, who overpowered German Tommy Haas 6-1 6-2.
Federer appeared to be in cruise control serving for the match at 5-4 in the second but was broken to love before his opponent went on to clinch the set in a tiebreak 7-4.
The players traded early breaks of serve in the third before Federer sealed the win by again breaking Wawrinka in the 12th game when his compatriot and good friend netted a forehand.
"Today it was extremely close again," Federer said after coming out on top of a fluctuating contest lasting two hours 20 minutes. "He usually plays me pretty good actually overall.
"Okay, I should maybe close it out in the second set, but he did well to stay in it. At the end, I don't know what gets me through.
"Maybe it's the experience or maybe I'm a bit more calm in those moments. I'm not sure. Today I think I was a little lucky to come through it in the end," added Federer, who improved his record against Wawrinka to 13-1.
Nadal, playing his first hardcourt event in almost a year, lost a closely contested opening set to Gulbis when he hit a forehand long on the first break point of the match.
However, the left-hander steadily upped his game to take control of the next two sets as the two players treated a packed house at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden with a brilliant display of shot-making.
Twice champion Nadal broke Gulbis for the final time in the 11th game of the third set when his opponent dumped a forehand into the net, then served out in the 12th, sealing victory with a whipped forehand winner down the line.
"Always against Ernests it is very difficult, he is a very aggressive player with a big serve," Nadal, who is continuing his comeback after being sidelined for seven months last year by a left knee injury, said courtside.
"I played not my best in the first set ... but I am through and that's the most important thing."
Top seed Djokovic stormed through his opening set against local favourite Querrey in only 22 minutes before winning a closely contested second set 8-6 in the tiebreak.
"I started off the match incredibly well, having waited six hours on site to play my match," Djokovic said. "He played well in the second and it could have gone either way. I am really thrilled to go through."
US Open champion Murray, a losing finalist here in 2009, advanced with a straight sets victory that featured seven service breaks, plenty of grunting by the Argentine and a series of protracted games.
"It was tough," said the Scotsman, who took the first-set tiebreak 7-4. "He started well and he was playing very aggressive. He had a lot of chances in the first set.
"And then the second set was kind of the other way around. I had a lot of chances, but it was still tight. All the games were pretty close, a lot of long games and longish rallies."
In other matches, sixth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych eased past Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-1 7-5 while eight-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga came from a set down to beat Canada's Milos Raonic 4-6 7-5 6-4.

BNP Paribas Open results

Round 4

1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat 23-Sam Querrey (U.S.) 6-0 7-6(6)

5-Rafa Nadal (Spain) beat Ernests Gulbis (Latvia) 4-6 6-4 7-5

7-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) beat 19-Tommy Haas (Germany) 6-1 6-2

3-Andy Murray (Britain) beat Carlos Berlocq (Argentina) 7-6(4) 6-4

2-Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat 18-Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) 6-3 6-7(4) 7-5

6-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) beat 10-Richard Gasquet (France) 6-1 7-5

8-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) beat 17-Milos Raonic (Canada) 4-6 7-5 6-4

Kevin Anderson (South Africa) beat 13-Gilles Simon (France) 6-3 1-6 6-4