Channeling the same game plan that reaped the ultimate reward in the Australian Open final in January, Roger Federer has put on a stunning display of aggression to defeat fifth seed Rafael Nadal in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open. The Swiss prevailed 6-2, 6-3 to set a quarter-final showdown with Australian Nick Kyrgios and victory marked the first time he had defeated Nadal three times in a row in 36 FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings.

Federer came out of the blocks in a hurry against Nadal on Wednesday. The Swiss ninth seed secured the opener 6-2, consistently finding his mark coming over the backhand to keep the Spaniard on the back foot.

Federer brought up a break point in the opening game, breaking when Nadal shanked a forehand into the stands for 1-0. He survived a break point and steadied to hold with a sublime backhand winner down the line for 2-0.

The Swiss continued to deliver off the backhand wing, his fifth backhand winner of the first set, which was followed by an explosive wrong-footing forehand winner to bring up a break point on the Spaniard’s serve at 3-1. Forced to raise his level, Nadal ripped an angled forehand crosscourt to draw the backhand error from Federer but it was a short reprieve. The Swiss secured the double break off a spectacular backhand return winner for 4-1 after 23 minutes.

Federer closed out the opening set in style, threading back-to-back forehand winners to bring up two set points and sealing it on his first with a serve-volley winner 6-2 after 34 minutes.

Determined to make a statement he would not go quietly, Nadal started the second set with authority, holding to love with a forehand winner and an ace out wide for 1-0. Federer’s aggression continued to gnaw at Nadal, however. His confidence surged further when he broke early for 2-1.

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Redlining at 3-1, the Swiss struck a backhand winner down the line to bring up 15-30 but the fifth seed stemmed the flow, holding for 2-3. The pressure remained relentless, however, from the 36-year-old Swiss. He held to love for 4-2 off an ace out wide and drew the error with a looping backhand to change up the quick-fire pace.

Nadal was rarely in control of a point and when serving to stay in the match, a forehand clipped the net and failed to trickle over handing Federer two match points. He took it on his first with a crisp backhand return winner into the corner. 

• Four-time BNP Paribas Open champion Roger Federer and three-time champion Rafael Nadal will go head-to-head on Wednesday for the first time before the quarter-finals since their maiden meeting in the 2004 Miami third round. Nadal leads their 13-year rivalry 23-12 overall, 12-4 at ATP Masters 1000s, 9-8 on hard courts and 4-2 in the USA.

• Federer and Nadal have met twice in singles and twice in doubles at Indian Wells. Nadal defeated Federer en route to the 2013 title after Federer beat Nadal en route to the 2012 title. Federer and Stan Wawrinka beat Nadal and Marc Lopez in 2011, but Nadal and Carlos Moya edged Federer and Yves Allegro in 2004 — two weeks before the first Federer vs. Nadal singles match at Miami.

• After defeating Nadal in the 2015 Basel and 2017 Australian Open finals, Federer is attempting to sweep the Spaniard in three straight meetings for the first time. He has beaten Nadal twice in a row on three occasions. Nadal, on the other hand, has enjoyed a three-match winning streak (2011) and three separate five-match winning streaks against Federer (2005-06, 2008-09 and 2013-14).

• Novak Djokovic’s 19-match Indian Wells win streak is at risk against No. 15 seed Nick Kyrgios. Djokovic could pass Pete Sampras for sole possession of 10th place in the Open Era with his 763rd win. He is playing Kyrgios one day after facing Juan Martin del Potro for the second time this month. Djokovic beat del Potro on March 1 at Acapulco before losing to Kyrgios on March 2.

• None of the eight players remaining in the top half of the draw have reached the BNP Paribas Open final before, including No. 8 seed Dominic Thiem and No. 10 seed Gael Monfils. Thiem and Monfils, who meet in the last match on Stadium 1, each qualified at the ATP Finals for the first time in 2016. When they played in a round robin match on November 15, Thiem prevailed 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.

• Six players will bid for their first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final: [21] Pablo Carreno Busta, [27] Pablo Cuevas, Malek Jaziri, Donald Young, [Q] Dusan Lajovic and [LL] Yoshihito Nishioka. Lajovic would be the first qualifier into the Indian Wells quarters-finals since Robby Ginepri in 2003. Nishioka would be the first lucky loser to reach the quarter-finals in tournament history.

• All four doubles quarter-finals are scheduled, which means Djokovic and Kyrgios will play twice. Djokovic, who has one ATP doubles title, teams with countryman Viktor Troicki against No. 6 seeds Raven Klaasen and Rajeev Ram. Kyrgios, never an ATP doubles finalist, is also partnered with a Serbian. He and Nenad Zimonjic meet No. 8 seeds Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo.

FEDAL XXXVI BY THE NUMBERS

36 – Nadal and Federer have met 36 times, tied for 3rd-most in Open Era (Djokovic/Nadal 49, Djokovic/Federer 45).
35 – Federer, 35, beat Nadal at Aus. Open to become oldest Grand Slam champ since Rosewall at 1972 Aus. Open.
34 – Nadal has 34 losses in 399 clay-court matches (13-2 vs. Federer). His .915 win percentage is best in Open Era.
33 – Federer snapped Nadal’s 33-match unbeaten run on clay courts with 64 64 victory for 2009 Madrid title.
32 – Wednesday’s match marks earliest Federer vs. Nadal match since their 1st meeting in 2004 Miami Round of 32.
31 – Nadal was 31-0 at Roland Garros before 4R loss in 2009 to Robin Soderling, who fell to Federer in final.
30 – Federer vs. Nadal at Australian Open was 1st Grand Slam final with two 30-somethings since 2002 US Open.
29 – Federer won 29 straight ATP Masters 1000 matches before falling to Nadal in 2006 Monte-Carlo final.
28 – Nadal has won 28 ATP Masters 1000 titles — 4 more than Federer and 2 fewer than record-holder Novak Djokovic.
27 – Federer is 27-20 in 5-setters, with wins over Nadal at 2005 Miami, 2007 Wimbledon and 2017 Australian Open. 
26 – Federer snapped Nadal’s 81-match unbeaten run on clay courts with 26 62 60 victory for 2007 Hamburg title.
25 – Nadal became No. 2 on July 25, 2005 and spent record 160 consecutive weeks at No. 2 before passing Federer.
24 – Federer went 24-0 in finals Oct. 2003-Nov. 2005, including comeback from 2 sets down vs. Nadal at 2005 Miami.
23 – Nadal is 23-12 against Federer and 1-1 at Indian Wells, winning 64 62 in 2013 QF and losing 63 64 in 2012 SF.
22 – Federer and Nadal have met in 22 finals. Nadal leads 14-8 overall and 7-3 in ATP Masters 1000 finals.
21 – Nadal has reached 21 Grand Slam finals, tied for 2nd all-time with Novak Djokovic (Federer 27).
20 – Federer hit 20 aces and Nadal hit four during their most recent meeting in Australian Open final on Jan. 29.
19 – Nadal is 19-9 in 5-setters, with wins over Federer at 2006 Rome, 2008 Wimbledon and 2009 Australian Open.
18 – Nadal overtook Federer for No. 1 in Emirates ATP Rankings on August 18, 2008, ending Swiss’ 237-week reign.
17 – No. 17 Federer became lowest-ranked Grand Slam champ since No. 44 Gaston Gaudio at 2004 Roland Garros.
16 – Federer fell to No. 16 on Nov. 7, 2016 after 734 straight weeks in Emirates ATP Rankings Top 10 (14+ years).
15 – Nadal earned his 1st ATP World Tour victory at age 15. Federer earned his 1st ATP victory at age 17.
14 – Nadal is tied with Pete Sampras for 2nd all-time with 14 Grand Slam men’s singles titles (Federer 18).
13 – In their 1st meeting 13 years ago, 17-year-old Nadal stunned World No. 1 Federer 63 63 in 2004 Miami 3R.
12 – Federer and Nadal have met 12 times at Slams, 3rd-most in Open Era (Djokovic/Federer 15, Djokovic/Nadal 13).
11 – There have been 11 Grand Slam events played since Nadal won his 14th major title at 2014 Roland Garros.
10 – Federer ensured return to Top 10 after 12-week hiatus by beating Nadal in 5 sets for 18th Grand Slam title.
9 – Federer and Nadal have met in Open Era-record 9 Grand Slam finals (Nadal leads 6-3).
8 – Nadal has 8 more head-to-head wins than Federer at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events (Nadal leads 12-4).
7 – Federer lost 7 sets at Aus. Open, tied for most by Slam champ since Gustavo Kuerten at 1997 Roland Garros (8).
6 – Nadal won 6 straight matches against Federer at Grand Slams before losing to him in Australian Open final.
5 – Nadal is 5-0 against Federer at Roland Garros (15-4 in sets). He went on to win title in Paris all 5 times.
4 – At Aus. Open, Federer became 1st Slam champ with 4 Top 10 wins since Mats Wilander at 1982 Roland Garros.
3 – Federer is attempting to beat Nadal in 3 straight H2Hs for 1st time in career (2015 Basel and 2017 Aus. Open finals).
2 – Nadal is bidding to become 2nd man to win an ATP Masters 1000 title in teens, 20s and 30s (also Andre Agassi).
1 – Federer spent record 302 weeks at No. 1 in Emirates ATP Rankings. Nadal was No. 1 for 141 weeks (7th all-time).

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