Wawrinka advances, to face lucky loser Nishioka

REUTERS: Stan Wawrinka breezed into the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open on Monday and saw another seed removed from his path to the final when lucky loser Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan turned his match against Tomas Berdych upside down.

The Swiss third seed romped past Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-5 6-3 and will next face Nishioki rather than Berdych after the 21-year-old Japanese overcame a 6-1 5-2 deficit for a stunning 1-6 7-6(5) 6-4 win over the 13th seeded Czech.

The top half of the draw has already lost world number one Andy Murray and offers rather smoother sailing than a bottom half, which features multiple grand slam winners Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer. 

Wawrinka needed just 78 minutes to improve to his career record against Germany’s Kohlschreiber to 5-0, whipping a trademark backhand winner down the line to end the third round contest at Indian Wells.

“I was serving well,” the 31-year-old said. “I think I’m moving better and better, and it’s all positive so far.

“I’m feeling good in my body, so that’s the most important.”

Nishioka, who gave Nadal a run for his money in Acapulco at the start of the month, surprised even himself with his victory over Berdych.

“I tried to do my best, but today I couldn’t figure out how could I beat Berdych,” Nishioka said. “I tried to find a way, and then I think he give me a little bit of a chance.

“My body was feeling like I cannot move that much, but I just stayed focussed and tried to fight. And then I found a way.”

Berdych held match point on Nishioka’s serve in the 10th game of the second set, before the Japanese rallied to level the contest in a tie-break.

After trading breaks at the start of the decider, Nishioka broke again for a 2-1 lead and did not look back.

Eighth seed Dominic Thiem of Austria made it through to the fourth round by beating Mischa Zverev 6-1 6-4 in less than an hour.

Two days after ousting top seed Murray, Vasek Pospisil’s run in Indian Wells came to an end as he fell to fellow qualifier Dusan Lajovic of Serbia 6-7(4) 6-3 7-5.

Pospisil served for the match at 5-3 in the third set but was broken to love and the Canadian also squandered a match point in the 10th game before Lajovic prevailed.

Lajovic, ranked 106, will face Pablo Carreno Busta, who earned a free pass into the fourth round after fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut withdrew before their match due to an abdominal muscle injury.

Kerber rallies to reach fourth round; Halep out

REUTERS: Second seed Angelique Kerber put on a determined display to rally past France’s Pauline Parmentier 7-5 3-6 7-5 in the scorching desert heat to reach the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open on Monday.

Kerber, who will reclaim the world number one ranking next week from the absent Serena Williams, reeled off the last three games to take the opener after facing a set point, and was a point from trailing 5-2 in the third before surging to victory.

“It was a tough match and a high-level match from both of us,” the German said on court after her two-hour, 33-minute victory. “Pauline played unbelievably from the first ball, and we both battled until the end.”

Other seeds advancing included Venus Williams, Madison Keys and Caroline Wozniacki, while fifth seed Simona Halep and sixth seed Agnieszka Radwanska were ousted by France’s Kristina Mladenovic and China’s Peng Shuai, respectively.

The ultra-fit Kerber persevered despite seeing her opponent save 13 break points in the match.

“She is a really tricky opponent,” the German said. “She played a lot of spin, especially from the forehand side.

“I’d had great practices in the last few months so I’m ready to stay on court for three hours.”

Williams saved three match points in her opening match but the 12th seed faced no such drama in her 6-4 6-2 victory over Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic.

Next up for the 36-year-old American will be Chinese qualifier Peng, who eliminated Poland’s Radwanska 6-4 6-4.

Peng, working to regain form since undergoing back surgery in 2015, knows she is capable of holding her own against the top seeds, having twice beaten Radwanska at the US Open and defeated Williams at last year’s China Open.

“I’m really happy that I can come back and play this tournament again – after my back surgery I almost ended my career,” she said in an on-court interview. “But I spent a lot of time and fight hard to be here.”

Halep, playing her first event in five weeks due to a knee injury, fell 6-3 6-3 to 28th seed Mladenovic, who is riding high after notching her maiden WTA title at St Petersburg, which she followed up by reaching the Mexican Open final.

Next up for Kerber will be 14th-seeded Russian Elena Vesnina, who recovered from a bout of dizziness to beat 25th seed Timea Babos of Hungary 6-4 1-6 6-4.

American ninth seed Keys routed 19-year-old Naomi Osaka of Japan 6-1 6-4 to reach the Round of 16 against 13th seed Wozniacki, a 6-3 6-1 winner over Czech Katerina Siniakova.