Del Potro, Cilic Headline Tuesday Indian Wells Play

Two popular ATP World Tour stars – Juan Martin del Potro and David Ferrer – square off at the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday bidding to book a place in the fourth round. Del Potro, the power player who is back in the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings, against the hard-working Ferrer, still a force at the age of 35, compete third match on Stadium 1.

In a rivalry that began 10 years ago, both players, with contrasting styles are tied at 6-6 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series (Del Potro 17-15 sets won) ahead of their third meeting of 2018. Del Potro has won their past four clashes, including a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win at their recent Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. World No. 8 Del Potro, who reached the 2013 Indian Wells final (l. to Nadal), is looking for his 20th career win here (19-7), while Ferrer is trying to reach the fourth round for the third time (2007 QF, 2009 4R).

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Second seed Marin Cilic comes face-to-face with a notoriously tricky opponent, No. 31 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, in the second match on Stadium 1 today. Kohlschreiber leads 6-4, but Cilic did win their last match in the 2017 Wimbledon first round. Cilic is attempting to advance to the fourth round for the third time in 11 appearances, while Kohlschreiber will look to break a 12-match losing streak against Top 10 opponents (22-87 lifetime). The German’s last victory came against then No. 7-ranked Tomas Berdych in a 2016 Davis Cup tie.

During the night session on the Indian Wells Tennis Garden’s main show court, eighth-seeded American Jack Sock will take his aggressive power game to No. 28 seed Feliciano Lopez of Spain, the serve-volleyer, who uses his sliced backhand to great effect. Sock, who competes in the 2017 semi-finals (l. to Federer), leads Lopez 2-1 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. Lopez is making his 16th straight Indian Wells appearance and he has reached the fourth round three times (4R in 2014 and 2016, QF in 2015).

On Stadium 2, 2016 quarter-finalist Gael Monfils meets his fellow Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert for the first time. In the next match, No. 32 seed and 2016 Indian Wells finalist Milos Raonic looks to remain unbeaten (3-0) against Portugal’s Joao Sousa, who upset No. 5-ranked Alexander Zverev on Sunday. In doubles, 2013-14 champions and seventh seeds Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan challenge Pablo Carreno Busta and David Marrero in the second round on Stadium 2, during the night session.