Djokovic, Federer, Nadal advance at Indian Wells
World No.2 Novak Djokovic. INDIAN WELLS: Novak Djokovic launched his bid for a sixth ATP Indian Wells Masters crown with a two-set triumph over Kyle Edmund as the stars shone on Sunday in the California desert.
The 46th-ranked Edmund served for the second set at 5-3, but world No.2 Djokovic broke him en route to a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) triumph.
His reward is a tough third-round clash with former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, a 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 winner over fellow Argentine Federico del Bonis.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal also reached the third round, Federer flying through with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over France’s Stephane Robert in just 51 minutes.
Nadal opened his account with a steady 6-3, 6-2 victory over Argentina’s Guido Pella.
The three stars are packed together in a remarkable bottom quarter of the draw.
But Djokovic said he can’t afford to think about a possible quarter-final clash with either of his longtime rivals with del Potro coming up.
While Djokovic has won 12 of their 16 career meetings, the Argentine handed him a crushing two-tie-break defeat in the first round of the Rio Olympics — a defeat Djokovic avenged in Acapulco this month.
“Big guy, big serve, big forehand,” Djokovic said of del Potro.
“Definitely not the draw that you like early in the tournament and that you wish for, but it is what it is,” added Djokovic, who is trying to get back to the winner’s circle after a shock second-round exit at the Australian Open and a quarter-final loss to Nick Kyrgios in Acapulco.
Ninth-seeded Federer, resurgent after a 2016 season marred by injury, downed Nadal in an epic Australian Open final to secure his 18th Grand Slam title.
Nadal was pleased with a “solid” opening effort against Pella, made trickier by the oven-like midday temperatures and the fact that Pella, like Nadal, is a left-hander.
The bottom half of the draw also features fourth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan, who eased past Britain’s Daniel Evans 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday.
But sixth-seeded Marin Cilic, who beat Nishikori in the 2014 US Open final, was an early casualty, beaten 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 by 19-year-old American Taylor Fritz.
In women’s t hird-round action, 17-year-old American wild-card entry Kayla Day nearly pulled off a major upset but eventually lost to reigning French Open champion Garbine Muguruza 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. Day is ranked 175th, Muguruza is ranked No.7.
Elsewhere, 11th-seeded Johanna Konta was edged by No.21 Caroline Garcia 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/1), two-time major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova beat No.26 Roberta Vinci 6-2, 2-6, 6-1, and No.15 Timea Bacsinszky defeated No.18 Kiki Bertens 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (10-8).