Kyrgios beats Djokovic again, to face Federer

REUTERS: Nick Kyrgios ended Novak Djokovic’s 19-match winning run at Indian Wells by beating the Serb 6-4 7-6(3) to reach the BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals on Wednesday, while Roger Federer also advanced with a straight sets win over Rafa Nadal.

Australian Kyrgios had beaten Djokovic in the quarter-finals in Acapulco almost two weeks ago in their first career meeting, and repeated the feat on Wednesday to reach the last eight, where he will face Federer.

The Swiss defeated Nadal 6-2 6-3 in the 36th meeting between the pair. It marked the first time Federer had recorded three consecutive wins over the Spaniard.

Federer, who got the better of his Spanish rival in a thrilling five-setter at the Australian Open final in January, broke Nadal’s serve to open the match then survived a break point to hold with a backhand winner down the line for 2-0.

The Swiss then took a 4-1 lead before sealing the set and continued to press in the second, keeping Nadal on his heels.

“It’s a nice feeling to win the last three, I can tell you that,” Federer told reporters.    “After the Australian hype, to play here in America right away, all of them are very special. Obviously can’t celebrate too long this time around. I have to get back to work in a couple of days.”

In other matches, third seed Stan Wawrinka overcame Yoshihito Nishioka 3-6 6-3 7-6(4), Austria’s Dominic Thiem defeated Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-3 6-2, and Japan’s Kei Nishikori beat Donald Young 6-2 6-4.

Jack Sock defeated Malek Jaziri in three sets while Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas upset 11th-seed David Goffin 6-3 3-6 6-3.

Pliskova battles past Muguruza to reach Indian Wells semis

REUTERS: World number three Karolina Pliskova overcame a stern test to reach the semi-finals of the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday after edging French Open champion Garbine Muguruza 7-6(2)7-6(5) at Indian Wells.   

Pliskova let a 5-2 lead slip away in the second set before recovering to earn the victory after a two-hour battle.

She advances to face Svetlana Kuznetsova, who earlier defeated fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3 6-2.

Pliskova, who won the Qatar Open title last month, looked poised to advance after breaking her opponent’s service twice in the second set and was serving for the match at 5-2.

However, Muguruza rallied and pushed the match to another tiebreaker, where Pliskova pulled herself together and sealed the victory.    

Two-time major winner Kuznetsova was determined not to lose to compatriot Pavlyuchenkova for a third time this year.   

 “I lost two times this year, so today was kind of an important match,” Kuznetsova said. “I know I felt much better on the court. It was good to focus.”    

Kuznetsova, ranked eighth in the world, is bidding to reach the final at Indian Wells for a third time after runner-up finishes in 2007 and 2008.