A Rafael Nadal – Roger Federer fourth-round clash has been on everyone’s minds since the draw was made last week, and the job is half done after Nadal defeated Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 7-5 on Tuesday at the BNP Paribas Open.

“I played a good match, no? Very aggressive with my serve, serving well, hitting good forehands, good backhands… Very happy. I think I played much better today than the first day,” Nadal said. “So very pleased with my performance.”

Federer faces American Steve Johnson later, on Stadium 1. Should he prevail, it would lead to the 36^th installment of one of tennis’ most celebrated rivalries, just six weeks on from their five-set battle in the Australian Open final. Nadal leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry 23-12.

“He has the talent to do very difficult things that look easy. He’s able to take the ball very early. Serve and first shot, he creates a lot of winners with that, the two first shots,” Nadal said of Federer. 

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The 30-year-old Nadal claimed his 50^th win at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden as he defeated Verdasco in one hour and 29 minutes. The Mallorcan has won three of his 28 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crowns in the desert, lifting the trophy in 2007 (d. Djokovic), 2009 (d. Murray) and 2013 (d. del Potro).

Under a hot sun in the Coachella Valley, Nadal improved to 16-3 in his FedEx ATP Head2Head series against Verdasco during their first meeting since Nadal beat the Madrid native at the same stage of the BNP Paribas Open 12 months ago.

Nadal broke Verdasco to love in the eighth game of the opener and drew blood in the early stages of the second set with a break in the third game. Verdasco rallied to level in the fourth game, but Nadal broke through decisively in the 11^th game, with the pressure telling on Verdasco. Nadal closed it out with a hold to 15.