After two years waiting for the next instalment of the Rafael Nadal v Nick Kyrgios rivalry, the stars have finally aligned in the California desert.

The pair’s ninth tour-level meeting headlines the quarter-final action at the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday. Nadal leads 5-3 in the ATP Head2Head series between the two, but the Australian has settled into some vintage form in California and is yet to drop a set this week.

Three-time champion Nadal may have dropped a frame when being pushed to the brink by Sebastian Korda in the second round in Indian Wells, but the legendary Spaniard is still perfect in 2022 in the only department that really matters – winning matches. With every victory extending his personal-best start to a season, a win over Kyrgios would take him to 19-0.

“[I’m] happy to win, [it] doesn’t matter how many sets,” said Nadal after coming through two tie-breaks to oust Reilly Opelka in the fourth round on Wednesday. “Of course, I’m happy to be in the quarter-finals. That’s my best match of the tournament. I did what I had to do against a very difficult player like Reilly.”

Previous encounters with Kyrgios mean the 21-time Grand Slam champion is more than wary of the threat the wild card poses to his unbeaten run. The Australian has excelled in seeing off Sebastian Baez, Federico Delbonis, and World No. 8 Casper Ruud on his way to the last eight, and has a habit of raising his game even further when facing off against Nadal.

“Nick is playing great,” said Nadal. “He is one of the toughest opponents on Tour. Everyone knows how good he is when he is motivated. It is going to be a good test for me and good challenge.”

Kyrgios’ fourth round opponent Jannik Sinner withdrew from their clash on Wednesday due to illness, but the Australian will still carry the momentum of his opening three straight-sets victories with him into the quarter-final matchup. The wild card has spoken openly about the positive mindset powering his performances in Indian Wells as he hunts a maiden ATP Masters 1000 title, and his first at any level since 2019.

“I know what I’m capable of,” said Kyrgios after his third-round win over Ruud. “I think everyone does as well. It’s whether I put my mind to it. I feel rejuvenated. I just feel like I’m here, I’m happy, and I’m just ready to give my all every match.”

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The victor will be handed a semi-final assignment against either defending champion Cameron Norrie or Carlos Alcaraz. The second quarter-final in the top half of the draw is intriguingly set as two of the form players on Tour meet for the first time since the Spaniard ran out a straight-sets winner at the 2021 US Open.

Having turned his season on its head after kicking 2022 off with four straight defeats, Norrie was glad to return to the scene of his most famous victory for Wednesday’s fourth-round win over dangerous American Jenson Brooksby. The memories of his previous match on Stadium 1, in which he beat Nikoloz Basilashvili to clinch a maiden Masters 1000 title in the 2021 final, appeared to boost the Brit but he is ready for another tough fight against Spanish prodigy Alcaraz.

“I love playing on this court, obviously,” said Norrie after seeing off Brooksby. “I’m feeling good physically and I like the conditions here, but I got absolutely whacked by him [Alcaraz] last time. He’s one of the best up-and-coming players, really solid both sides, he won [an ATP 500 event] earlier this year. So he’s confident, and it’s going to be a tough one, but [I am] looking forward to hopefully getting some revenge on him.”

A task made all the more difficult given that Alcaraz’s level only appears to have risen since that meeting in New York in August. The Rio Open presented by Claro champion attributes that improvement to intense off-court fitness work, allowing him to stay at the top of his game for longer.

“My team and I know how important it is to be strong physically,” the 18-year-old said earlier this week. “It was one thing we knew I had to improve a lot. It was a great focus during preseason. I am really happy. It gives me more confidence. I have more of a chance to keep my level high during a three or four-hour match against the best players.”

This consistency will be put to the test against the rock-solid game of Norrie. “I’m going to be happy if I keep the level [from tonight],” Alcaraz said after beating Gael Monfils in straight sets in the fourth round. “But I always say that you can improve every day, you can do better every day.”

Second seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury face their first seeded opponents of the tournament when they take on No. 7 pairing Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski as the doubles quarter-finals are rounded out on Thursday.

Ram and Salisbury are looking to add to their maiden Masters 1000 title together, won in Toronto last year. The American-British pairing followed that run with a US Open triumph in September but have not reached the quarter-finals in two previous appearances together in Indian Wells. Ram has had success in the California desert before, however, lifting the trophy with Raven Klaasen in 2017.

Awaiting in the semi-finals will be an unseeded pairing. Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin take on Aslan Karatsev and Andrey Rublev in Thursday’s other quarter-final, the latter duo flying high after it took out third seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the second round.

ORDER OF PLAY – THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2022

STADIUM 1 start 11:00 am
WTA – [6] M. Sakkari (GRE) vs [17] E. Rybakina (KAZ)
WTA – [5] P. Badosa (ESP) vs [21] V. Kudermetova

Not Before 3:00 pm
ATP – [4] R. Nadal (ESP) vs [WC] N. Kyrgios (AUS)

Not Before 6:00 pm
ATP – [19] C. Alcaraz (ESP) vs [12] C. Norrie (GBR)
ATP – [7] W. Koolhof (NED) / N. Skupski (GBR) vs [2] R. Ram (USA) / J. Salisbury (GBR)

STADIUM 2 start 3:00 pm
ATP – [PR] S. Gonzalez (MEX) / E. Roger-Vasselin (FRA) vs A. Karatsev / A. Rublev

Not Before 5:00 PM
WTA – [5] G. Dabrowski (CAN) / G. Olmos (MEX) vs [7] A. Muhammad (USA) / E. Shibahara (JPN)

Not Before 7:00 PM
WTA – Y. Xu (CHN) / Z. Yang (CHN) vs A. Cornet (FRA) / L. Fernandez (CAN)

Andrey Rublev is a winning machine.

The World No. 7 has triumphed in his past 12 matches and will aim to keep his career-best run going when he faces Grigor Dimitrov in the quarter-finals at the BNP Paribas Open on Friday.

The 24-year-old has been a dominant force on the ATP Tour over recent weeks and is bidding to capture his third consecutive title, after lifting trophies in Marseille and Dubai in February.

“When you win two tournaments, it gives you great confidence that you don’t need to stress,” Rublev said earlier this week when discussing his strong start to the season. “You are more relaxed when you train and you train in a more positive way and with good intensity. The main thing is to keep this form going now.”

Rublev is a nine-time tour-level titlist, with five of his victories coming at ATP 500 tournaments. However, the seventh seed is yet to crack the code at an ATP Masters 1000 event, with his best results at this level coming in Monte-Carlo and Toronto last season, where he reached the championship match.

Rublev looks like he might change that record this weekend though as the action in Indian Wells hits fever pitch. He has earned straight-sets wins over Dominik Koepfer, Frances Tiafoe and Hubert Hurkacz so far in the California desert, but faces a tricky test against an opponent who has fond memories at the hard-court tournament.

View Schedule | View Singles Draw | View Doubles Draw

Dimitrov soared to the semi-finals in Indian Wells in 2021, earning standout wins against Top 10 stars Daniil Medvedev and Hurkacz. Like Rublev, the Bulgarian is yet to drop a set at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden this week, coming into the clash off the back of a victory over American John Isner.

Little has separated Dimitrov and Rublev in the past, with the pair locked at 2-2 in their ATP Head2Head series, with three of their four meetings coming on outdoor hard. However, they have not met since Beijing in 2019, when Rublev was the World No. 35, the same ranking Dimitrov is currently.

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Friday’s other singles quarter-final will see American Taylor Fritz continue to fly the flag for the home crowd when he takes on Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic.

There is something in the Indian Wells air that brings the best out of the World No. 20, with Fritz reaching his maiden Masters 1000 semi-final at the event last October, when the tournament was played outside its regular March slot due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 24-year-old, who upset Matteo Berrettini, Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev en route to the last four in 2021, has showcased his fighting qualities this week, edging Jaume Munar and Alex de Minaur in third-set tie-breaks. 

Fritz will carry a 1-0 ATP Head2Head series lead into his match against Kecmanovic, who is enjoying a dream run in the California desert.

The Serbian earned just his second Top 10 win when he overcame World No. 6 Berrettini on Wednesday. With his standout triumph, the World No. 61 booked his place in the last eight at a Masters 1000 for the second time, after also advancing to the same stage in Indian Wells on his tournament debut in 2019.

“He is playing really well,” Fritz said when asked about facing Kecmanovic. “He’s a really good ball-striker and I think it’s going to be a lot of big hitting probably.”

Kecmanovic will be aiming to reach the semi-finals at a tour-level event for the first time this year after losing in the last eight in Rio de Janeiro and Santiago in February.

In the doubles, Americans John Isner and Jack Sock will look to advance to the final when they take on Andrey Golubev and Alexander Zverev. Isner and Sock soared to the title in Indian Wells in 2018, defeating Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan in the final. Meanwhile, second seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury will play Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin as they aim to win a second Masters 1000 crown as a team this week.

SCHEDULE – FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022

STADIUM 1 start 12:00 noon
ATP – [7] A. Rublev vs [33] G. Dimitrov (BUL)
ATP – M. Kecmanovic (SRB) vs [20] T. Fritz (USA)

Not Before 6:00 PM
WTA – [24] S. Halep (ROU) vs [3] I. Swiatek (POL)
WTA – [5] P. Badosa (ESP) vs [6] M. Sakkari (GRE)

STADIUM 2 start Not Before 6:00 pm
ATP – [WC] J. Isner (USA) / J. Sock (USA) vs A. Golubev (KAZ) / A. Zverev (GER)
ATP – [PR] S. Gonzalez (MEX) / E. Roger-Vasselin (FRA) vs [2] R. Ram (USA) / J. Salisbury (GBR)

Did You Know?
Rublev earned 11 straight victories in 2020, collecting titles in St. Petersburg and Vienna, before he lost to former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka in the third round at the Rolex Paris Masters. He has now bettered that run here in Indian Wells, with his fourth-round win over Hurkacz his 12th in a row.

John Isner and Jack Sock’s hunt for a second BNP Paribas Open title continued apace on Wednesday as they came through a tricky test against Feliciano Lopez and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The 2018 champions ended their opponent’s six-match unbeaten run to reach the semi-finals in Indian Wells with a 7-5, 6-4 victory in front of a pumped up home crowd.

An engrossing encounter was expected from a match that featured four players who have all spent time in the Top 20 of the ATP Rankings for singles, and it didn’t disappoint. It was Isner and Sock who stepped up at crucial moments, however, sealing victory in 78 minutes to extend their record as a pair in the California desert to 9-1.

Isner and Sock timed their move perfectly in the first set, breaking for 6-5 after taking a sudden-death point on the Tsitsipas delivery, Sock then serving out to put the Americans in command.

Lopez and Tsitsipas looked to be in deep trouble as they found themselves an early break down in the second set, but the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC champions showed no intention of going down quietly, breaking back to level at 3-3.

It wasn’t enough to deny Sock and Isner, though. The pair struck again at the tail end of the second set, breaking before serving out to love to complete the win.

The American pair showed nerves of steel throughout as it saved five from six break points faced in the match, assisted by strong serving numbers. According to Infosys ATP Stats, Isner and Sock won 79 per cent (33/42) points behind their first delivery.

Both players possess strong records in Indian Wells, even when not playing together. It is a fifth semi-final appearance for Isner, and a fourth for Sock. The latter also lifted the trophy in 2015 with Vasek Pospisil.

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Isner and Sock can now look forward to a semi-final showdown against Andrey Golubev and Alexander Zverev, who defeated the American duo of Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul, 6-4, 7-6(3).

The Kazakh-German pairing saved all five break points they faced in the match, with each team winning a sudden-death point on serve in consecutive games midway through the second set.

Golubev and Zverev were lights out on first serve in the contest, winning 87 per cent (41/47) of points in their first deal.

Golubev, the doubles World No. 27, is now two wins away from his first ATP Tour title. He has reached three finals in his career, including two in 2021.

Zverev, the singles World No. 3, is seeking a third ATP Tour doubles title. He won two with his brother Mischa Zverev, in Acapulco in 2019 and Montpellier in 2017, with the pair reaching seven finals from 2015-19.

A return to Stadium 1 at Indian Wells for the first time since clinching a maiden ATP Masters 1000 title at the 2021 BNP Paribas Open could have triggered nerves for Cameron Norrie, but the defending champion had no time for sentimentalities on Wednesday night.

After comfortably moving through his opening rounds with wins on smaller courts over Pedro Martinez and Nikoloz Basilashvili, Norrie produced his best tennis of the tournament on the biggest stage as he downed talented American Jenson Brooksby 6-2, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals in the California desert.

“It was really difficult. I love playing on this court, obviously,” said Norrie after extending his winning record at Indian Wells to 9-2. “Jenson’s so tricky and came out with a gameplan and managed to execute from the beginning and didn’t really miss too much. [I had] one slight lapse in concentration in the second set, but [I am] really enjoying my tennis and happy to sneak through another one.”

A high-quality encounter was defined by Norrie’s ability to cause problems on the Brooksby serve as the Brit broke five times on his way to an 11th victory in 12, a remarkable turnaround after a slow start to the season that saw him lose his opening four matches.

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Brooksby has caused problems for a variety of opponents since bursting into the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings in 2021, and he secured the biggest win of his career on Monday by beating World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the third round. Norrie appeared to have done his homework for his first ATP Head2Head meeting with the 21-year-old, however, surging into a 4-0 lead early as he clubbed the ball with considerable power from the baseline.

After sealing the opening set, Norrie’s heavy hitting continued in the second, but Brooksby’s creative game started to register some success as he broke early and established a 3-0 lead. Norrie’s continued aggression made life a struggle for the two-time Tour finalist on serve, however. The Brit took Brooksby’s final three service games of the match to hit back and secure victory in one hour, 38 minutes.

The Infosys ATP Stats for the match reflect how the 2021 champion was a constant thorn in the side of the Brooksby serve. Norrie won 57 per cent (16/28) of points against the American’s second delivery, making the fact Brooksby made just 58 per cent of his first serves all the more costly.

“[It was] a little bit of cat and mouse,” said Norrie. “I just backed myself physically, I was trying to make it that the longer the rallies went, I think the better [it was] for me. I just managed to execute and serve a little bit better than him down the stretch and I think that was the difference in that second set.”

Norrie’s title defence continues in the quarter-finals against #NextGenATP prodigy Carlos Alcaraz, who defeated Gael Monfils 7-5, 6-1 earlier on Wednesday. The Brit will try to forget the pair’s sole previous meeting, a straight-sets win for the Spaniard at the 2021 US Open, as he seeks a 14th consecutive win on American soil.

“I’m feeling good physically and I like the conditions here, but I got absolutely whacked by him last time,” said Norrie. “He’s one of the best up-and-coming players, really solid both sides, he won [an ATP 500 event] earlier this year. So he’s confident, and it’s going to be a tough one, but [I am] looking forward to hopefully getting some revenge on him.”

The 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz overwhelmed Gael Monfils Wednesday night in Indian Wells as he powered to yet another breakthrough win in his fast-rising career.

The Spaniard’s 7-5, 6-1 victory sends him into his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final, making him the youngest BNP Paribas Open men’s quarter-finalist since 17-year-old Michael Chang in 1989. Now 11-1 on the season, the February Rio de Janeiro champion improves to 16-1 since his Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals title run in November.

Alcaraz’s constant pressure — both on the scoreboard and in the rallies — began to pay off in a big way off late in the opening set. Constantly on the attack with his ground game, he created a break point in three different games in the stanza. On his third chance, he converted with a forehand winner, one of 13 off that wing in the set, to lead 6-5. 

The Spaniard closed the set with ease. He did not face a break point on the night, winning 84 percent (36/43) of his service points in the one-hour, 17-minute contest.

With Monfils on his heels, it was Alcaraz’s touch that earned him an early break in set two. After scrambling well beyond the baseline, Monfils could only watch a drop shot float over the net to put him in a 1-0 hole.

Both men produced heavy hitting throughout, but the Spaniard’s consistent depth and immense spin penetrated the court to far greater effect. While Monfils’ free hitting reaped some early rewards, it was Alcaraz who controlled the bulk of the rallies.

The Frenchman’s game began to break to break down as the Alcaraz assault continued. As more errors crept in, the Spaniard completed a run of seven straight games to run out to a 4-0 lead in the second set. He closed the match with his fourth break of the evening.

Monfils, a champion in Adelaide in January, entered the match on a high after upsetting World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in the third round. Many are tipping Alcaraz to reach the top of the ATP Rankings himself, and he showed why in a dominant performance on Stadium 2.

He’ll next face the winner of the day’s last men’s match: 12th seed Cameron Norrie vs. American Jenson Brooksby.

The Grand Slam Board, made up of representatives from all four Slams, announced on Wednesday that there will be a trial of a 10-point tie-break played at 6-6 in the final set at the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open, beginning in Paris this year.

“Further to extensive consultation with the WTA, ATP, ITF and tennis officiating community, the Grand Slam Board’s decision is based on a strong desire to create greater consistency in the rules of the game at the Grand Slams, and thus enhance the experience for the players and fans alike,” a media release attributed to the Grand Slam Board said.

This format will apply to men’s and women’s singles and doubles, qualifying, as well as wheelchair and junior singles. At the Australian Open, Roland Garros and the US Open, a 10-point tie-break will be contested in lieu of a full final set in mixed doubles, junior doubles and wheelchair doubles. Wimbledon will maintain the same format in those events, with a 10-point tie-break played at 6-6 in the final set.

Before this announcement, the Australian Open was the only major to feature a 10-point tie-break at 6-6 in the final set. At Roland Garros, the final set was played out. At Wimbledon, a 12-point tie-break was played at 12-12 in the final set. At the US Open, a 12-point tie-break was played at 6-6 in the decider.

According to the media release, the Grand Slam Board will review the results of the trial for a full Grand Slam year. This is not yet a permanent change.

“It’s probably good for fans and good for the players if they want to move forward in the tournament,” Taylor Fritz said on Wednesday at the BNP Paribas Open. “I think if I find myself in one of those in the future I’ll be pretty happy that they have that rule now.”

Former top five stars Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Stan Wawrinka have received wild cards into this year’s Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, the tournament announced Tuesday.

Wawrinka is a former champion at the ATP Masters 1000 event, where he lifted the trophy in 2014. The 36-year-old, who has not competed since March last year, will be making his 12th appearance in Monte-Carlo.

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Frenchman Tsonga will join the three-time Grand Slam champion at the clay-court tournament. The 18-time ATP Tour titlist is a two-time semi-finalist in Monte-Carlo, where he made the last four in 2013 and 2016.

So far this season, Tsonga has earned tour-level wins on home soil in Montpellier and Marseille, beating 23-year-old Kacper Zuk and countryman Gilles Simon, respectively.

The third Masters 1000 event of the season will run from Sunday, 10 April through Sunday, 17 April, with World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas the defending champion.