Kyrgios stuns Djokovic again
Federer sweeps past Nadal into Indian Wells quarters
Nick Kyrgios overpowered Novak Djokovic for the second time in as many weeks on Wednesday to book an Indian Wells quarterfinal against Roger Federer, who swatted aside old foe Rafael Nadal.
Kyrgios put on another stellar serving display in a 6- 4, 7- 6 ( 7/ 3) triumph that ended threetime defending champion Djokovic’s 19- match winning streak in the first Masters tournament of the year.
Federer, who added another chapter to a storied rivalry with Nadal with an epic Australian Open triumph in January, dismantled the Spaniard 6- 2, 6- 3.
It was the first time since their first meeting in 2004 that Federer and Nadal had met before the quarterfinals of a tournament. An oddity of the rankings had them and Djokovic – with 44 Grand Slam titles among the three of them – all grouped in the same quarter of the draw.
Djokovic was the first to fall, in the face of relentless aggression from world No. 16 Kyrgios.
“The run was amazing,” said Djokovic, who also won in Indian Wells in 2008 and 2011 before going on his roll from 2014 to 2016. “I am very proud of it. It had to end at some stage. Unfortunately, it was today.”
Kyrgios, 21, couldn’t match the 25 aces he rained on Djokovic in a shock win in Acapulco, Mexico this month. But 14 aces were plenty as he kept Djokovic off- balance with a welter of 100 mph- plus serves.
Kyrgios, already the youngest player to record victories over Djokovic, Federer, Nadal, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka, now gets another crack at Federer, who needed just 68 minutes to dispatch Nadal.
Federer broke Nadal to open the match, and seized a second break and 4- 1 with a blistering backhand service return winner.
A forehand volley sealed the set, and another forehand winner put Federer up a break at 2- 1 in the second.
Federer was firmly in control as Nadal served to save the match at 5- 3. An unlucky netcord bounce, when Nadal’s forehand clipped the net and rolled back, gave Federer a double match point, and with a backhand return down the line, the 36th meeting between the two was his.
The win marks the first time in the rivalry that Federer has strung together three wins over Nadal.
“In Australia it was a very close match,” Nadal said. “I had good chances to win. Today, not. Today he played better than me. These kind of matches, when you’re not playing your match, it’s impossible to win.”
World No. 3 Wawrinka, the highest- ranked player remaining after the departures of Djokovic and world No. 1 Murray, labored past lucky loser Yoshihito Nishioka 3- 6, 6- 3, 7- 6 ( 7/ 4) to reach the quarters.
Wawrinka will face eighthseeded Dominic Thiem for a place in the semifinals. The Austrian beat France’s Gael Monfils 6- 3, 6- 2.
Fourth- seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan quietly reached the last eight with a 6- 2, 6- 4 victory over American Donald Young.
He’ll face American Jack Sock, who beat Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri 4- 6, 7- 6 ( 7/ 1), 7- 5.