Indian Wells: Rafa and Maria gone. Roger plays 4 TB sets.

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On Day-8 of the BNP Paribas Open 2014, we said goodbye to Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova. Alex Dolgopolov and Camila Giorgi knocked-off the defending champions. Roger Federer played four tie-break sets – two in his 3rd-Round win over Dimitry Tursinov and two with Stan Wawrinka in their 2nd-Round doubles win over Ernests Gulbis and Milos Raonic. Sam Querrey and John Isner took-out Australian Open Champions Lukas Kubot and Robert Lidstedt, while the #5-seeds David Marrero/Fernando Verdasco and the #7-seeds Daniel Nestor/Nenad Zimonjic were also defeated.

Stadium-2 Results from Monday:

  • [5] A Murray (GBR) def. J Vesely (CZE) 6-7(2) 6-4 6-4
  • [13] F Fognini (ITA) def. [23] G Monfils (FRA) 6-2 3-6 7-5
  • [3] S Wawrinka (SUI) def. [29] A Seppi (ITA) 6-0 6-2
  • [8] P Kvitova (CZE) def. [27] S Kuznetsova (RUS) 6-3 2-6 6-0
  • [12] D Cibulkova (SVK) def. [23] E Makarova (RUS) 6-4 7-5
  • R Federer (SUI) / S Wawrinka (SUI) def. E Gulbis (LAT) / M Raonic (CAN) 7-6(3) 7-6(4)

Flat-out, Stadium-2 was cursed on Monday. The Andy Murray vs. Jiri Vesely match was bizarre. Jiri won a super-competitive first-set in a tie-break, then the level play withered in the heat. After picking up a sloppy second-set, three service breaks opened the third. When all was said and done, Jiri snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Cramping, Vesely was up a break, but couldn’t close on the Wimbledon champion – Andy Murray will get the hard-serving Milos Raonic in the Round of 16.

The Fabio Fognini/Gael Monfils match was loaded with the “drama” most would expect, as Fabio pointed-out post match. The three sets featured a little raquet abuse, some hand-ball after Fognini lost his raquet on a serve, an unbelievable blind backhand overhead from Monfils, and what appeared to be a touch of break-dancing as Monfils dove for a shot. At 5-4 in the third, Monfils had a chance to win the match, but double faulted twice at deuce. Seriously. Fognini came back to win it 7-5 in the third. Next for Fognini: Alex Dolgopolov (who defeated Rafael Nadal on Stadium-1).

Stan Wawrinka salvaged the day on Stadium-2 with a masterful 49-minute rout of Italian Andreas Seppi. He’s now 13-0 on the year, with titles in Chennai, his first Grand Slam win at the Australian Open, and a Davis Cup win at the end of January. After the match, we talked briefly about his doubles partnership with Roger – Make no mistake, they’re not screwing around, they’re here to win the doubles title together….as Milos Raonic and Ernests Gulbis would find out later that night on Stadium-2. Stan said he and Roger make no silly wagers before their matches – it’s all about delivering the win and moving forward in the draw. Next for Stan in the ROund of 16: Kevin Anderson.

Petra Kvitova had to battle with Svetlana Kuznetsova to earn a spot in the Round of 16. She found her rhythm in the 3rd-set, bageling the two-time BNP Paribas Open finalist. Petra gets Acapulco Champion ad Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova next. This has been an up and down year for Petra – SF in Sydney, 1R loss in Melbourbe, QF in Doha, 2R loss in Dubai – but after that match she dismissed it, saying last year was up and down as well. Last year – she won two titles (Dubai / Tokyo) and reached two finals (Katowice / New Haven). Oh, and she loves eating sushi at Nobu while overlooking the court in Stadium-2…and even spent some time helping prepare sushi at the restaurant before the tournament started.

Dominika Cibulkova, with her two Yorkies here at Indian Wells, is playing focused, determined tennis – coming off her 4th career title in Acapulco and a Finals appearance at the Australian Open. Ekaterina Makarova was able to extend points, but didn’t have any answers for the Slovakian firepower down the stretch. Dominika is into the Round of 16 for the second time here at Indian Wells and faces Petra Kvitova next. She’s 1-4 against the Czech, though it’s been over a year since they played in Sydney, where Kvitova won 6-1, 6-1.

The final match of the night featured two tie-break sets with Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer defeating Milos Roanic and Ernests Gulbis. After the win, I talked to Roger about his battle with Tursinov earlier in the day…then asked Stan: “So, how did your match go?” (He clobbered Seppi in 49-minutes). Nothing but class, Stan again “took the pitch” and completely avoided the opportunity to give the GOAT a hard time. Sincerely, no more curveballs Mr. Wawrinka – you have a hell of an eye and entirely too much savvy modesty to swing at my nonsense. I like that.
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Full results of 3rd-Round play on the top-half of the Men’s Singles draw…

  • [28] A Dolgopolov (UKR) def. [1] R Nadal (ESP) 6-3 3-6 7-6(5)
  • [3] S Wawrinka (SUI) def. [29] A Seppi (ITA) 6-0 6-2
  • [5] A Murray (GBR) def. J Vesely (CZE) 67(2) 6-4 6-4
  • [7] R Federer (SUI) def. [27] D Tursunov (RUS) 7-6(7) 7-6(2)
  • [10] M Raonic (CAN) def. A Falla (COL) 6-4 6-3
  • [11] T Haas (GER) def. [19] K Nishikori (JPN) 7-6(3) 6-2
  • [13] F Fognini (ITA) def. [23] G Monfils (FRA) 6-2 3-6 7-5
  • [17] K Anderson (RSA) def. [LL] E Donskoy (RUS) 4-6 6-0 6-3

Full results of 2nd-Round play from the Men’s Doubles draw…

  • [3] I Dodig (CRO) / M Melo (BRA) def. [PR] C Fleming (GBR) / R Hutchins (GBR) 3-6 6-4 10-6
  • [4] L Paes (IND) / R Stepanek (CZE) def. [WC] J Erlich (ISR) / R Gasquet (FRA) 6-3 7-5
  • T Huey (PHI) / D Inglot (GBR) def. [5] D Marrero (ESP) / F Verdasco (ESP) 3-6 6-3 10-7
  • N Mahut (FRA) / J Tsonga (FRA) def. [7] D Nestor (CAN) / N Zimonjic (SRB) 6-7(7) 7-6(5) 11-9
  • J Isner (USA) / S Querrey (USA) def. [8] L Kubot (POL) / R Lindstedt (SWE) 6-3 7-6(6)
  • R Federer (SUI) / S Wawrinka (SUI) def. E Gulbis (LAT) / M Raonic (CAN) 7-6(3) 7-6(4)

>> MEN’S SINGLES DRAW || >> MEN’S DOUBLES DRAW

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Full results of 3rd-Round play from the top-half of the Ladies Singles draw…

  • [1] N Li (CHN) def. K Pliskova (CZE) 6-3 6-4
  • [Q] C Giorgi (ITA) def. [4] M Sharapova (RUS) 6-3 4-6 7-5
  • [8] P Kvitova (CZE) def. [27] S Kuznetsova (RUS) 6-3 2-6 6-0
  • [17] S Stephens (USA) def. [11] A Ivanovic (SRB) 7-6(3) 6-4
  • [12] D Cibulkova (SVK) def. [23] E Makarova (RUS) 6-4 7-5
  • [20] F Pennetta (ITA) def. [16] S Stosur (AUS) 6-4 3-6 6-1
  • A Wozniak (CAN) def. [21] A Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 6-1 6-7(3) 6-0
  • A Kleybanova (RUS) def. M Torro-Flor (ESP) 6-1 6-3

Full results of 2nd-Round play from the Ladies Doubles draw…

  • [4] K Peschke (CZE) / K Srebotnik (SLO) def. M Erakovic (NZL) / P Martic (CRO) 7-6(1) 6-2
  • [8] L Hradecka (CZE) / J Zheng (CHN) def. V Dushevina (RUS) / M Lucic-Baroni (CRO) 6-3 7-5

>> WOMEN’S SINGLES DRAW || >> WOMEN’S DOUBLES DRAW

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Humbling.
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Twilight Zone match: Murray vs. Vesely
Twilight Zone match: Murray vs. Vesely

Here’s what to expect today, on Day-9 of the BNP Paribas Open 2014:

STADIUM 1 start 11:00 am
ATP – [16] T Robredo (ESP) vs [24] M Cilic (CRO)
WTA – [7] J Jankovic (SRB) vs [10] C Wozniacki (DEN)
ATP – A Gonzalez (COL) vs [2] N Djokovic (SRB)
WTA – [22] A Cornet (FRA) vs [2] A Radwanska (POL)
Not Before 7:00 pm
ATP – Y Lu (TPE) vs [12] J Isner (USA)
Not Before 8:30 pm
WTA – [1] N Li (CHN) vs A Wozniak (CAN)

STADIUM 2 start 11:00 am
WTA – [6] S Halep (ROU) vs [18] E Bouchard (CAN)
ATP – [8] R Gasquet (FRA) vs [30] F Verdasco (ESP)
ATP – [15] G Dimitrov (BUL) vs [20] E Gulbis (LAT)
ATP – [Q] D Thiem (AUT) vs J Benneteau (FRA)
Not Before 5:00 pm
WTA – [17] S Stephens (USA) vs A Kleybanova (RUS)
ATP – [1] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) vs J Benneteau (FRA) / E Roger-Vasselin (FRA)

STADIUM 3 start 11:00 am
ATP – J Nieminen (FIN) vs R Bautista Agut (ESP)
ATP – F Lopez (ESP) vs M Kukushkin (KAZ)
WTA – [Q] C Dellacqua (AUS) vs L Davis (USA)
WTA – [Q] C Giorgi (ITA) vs [20] F Pennetta (ITA)
Not Before 5:00 pm
WTA – [12] D Cibulkova (SVK) vs [8] P Kvitova (CZE)

STADIUM 4 start 2:00 pm
WTA – [8] L Hradecka (CZE) / J Zheng (CHN) vs [4] K Peschke (CZE) / K Srebotnik (SLO)
ATP – T Huey (PHI) / D Inglot (GBR) vs [2] A Peya (AUT) / B Soares (BRA)

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