INDIAN WELLS, California, (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer each needed three sets to reach the quarter-finals of the Indian Wells ATP tournament on Wednesday while Rafa Nadal advanced with a comfortable victory over Alexandr Dolgopolov.
Djokovic held off a strong fightback by Spaniard Pablo Andujar to triumph 6-0 6-7 6-2, Federer recovered from a shaky first set to beat Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci 3-6 6-3 6-4 while Nadal eased through 6-3 6-2.
Argentina’s David Nalbandian upset sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France 3-6 7-5 6-3 and seventh seed Tomas Berdych was beaten 6-4 6-0 by Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, who had lost a bad tempered fourth-round match to the Czech at the Australian Open in January.
Almagro’s reward for reaching the last eight at Indian Wells for the first time is a matchup with Djokovic.
World number one Djokovic battled past unseeded Spaniard Andujar at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden after barely breaking sweat with an attacking display in his opening set.
However, the Serb fell 7-5 in a second set tiebreak as Andujar upped his game on the showpiece stadium court.
Champion here in 2008 and last year, Djokovic broke his opponent in the first game of the third set, and also in the seventh, before sealing victory on his first match point when the Spaniard hit a forehand service return wide.
“My opponent is really a quality player who deserves to be at this stage of the tournament,” Djokovic said in a courtside interview. “He surprised me with his aggressive approach. He was taking the ball early and was playing well.
