A blockbuster semifinal showdown between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will be featured on Saturday in Indian Wells. That will be preceded in the stadium by Milos Raonic vs. David Goffin.
(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (4) Rafael Nadal
Djokovic and Nadal will be facing each other for the 48th time in their careers when they meet again in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday afternoon. The World Tour Finals last fall gave Djokovic a chance to level the head-to-head series and that is exactly what he did with a 6-3, 6-3 semifinal rout of the Spaniard. Now it is Nadal’s turn to try for an even 24-24 record, as Djokovic took a slight lead by rolling 6-1, 6-2 in the Doha title match two months ago. These two rivals have squared off three times in Indian Wells, with Djokovic leading 2-1 after most recently getting the job done 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the 2011 title match.
The world No. 1 has been less than dominant since winning the Australian Open. He retired from a Dubai quarterfinal clash against Feliciano Lopez due to an eye infection and Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin pushed the Serb to five sets in the Davis Cup opening round. Djokovic’s run in the desert includes a three-setter against Bjorn Fratangelo and straight-set defeats of Philipp Kohlschreiber, Feliciano Lopez, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The Frenchman forced a pair of tiebreakers on Friday but had no chance in the critical moments and lost 7-6(2), 7-6(2). Nadal booked his spot in the last four by taking out Gilles Muller, Fernando Verdasco, Alexander Zverev, and Kei Nishikori. Playing with a proverbial second life after surviving a match point against Zverev, the world No. 5 turned in his best performance of the event for a 6-4, 6-3 win over Nishikori. Conditions in the desert will suit Nadal better than those of their last two showdowns in London and Doha. But the bottom line is that Djokovic has Nadal’s number–five wins in a row, to be exact–under any circumstances at the moment.
Pick: Djokovic in 2
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(15) David Goffin vs. (12) Milos Raonic
If Raonic is this good after missing more than a month because of injury, just think how productive he could have been if he had been able to play throughout February. The Canadian had been sidelined since the Australian Open (lost to Andy Murray in the semifinals) by an adductor problem, but he is back in business in Indian Wells. So far this fortnight he has defeated Inigo Cervantes, Bernard Tomic, Tomas Berdych, and Gael Monfils without surrendering a single set. Raonic is now 13-1 for the season and he is aiming for his second title, having previously triumphed in Brisbane.
Up next for the 12th seed is a second career meeting with Goffin, who got the best of their Basel battle in 2014 via a 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-4 decision. The 18th-ranked Belgian has sustained momentum from a pair of Davis Cup singles wins over Croatia, but it has not been easy. He saved two match points in his Indian Wells opener against Frances Tiafoe and also needed three sets to oust Guido Pella and Stan Wawrinka before finally winning a straight-setter against Marin Cilic, whom he also beat in Davis Cup action. This looks like too tough of a test for Goffin, as the pressure will be on to hold serve just about every time he toes the line because Raonic appears to be borderline unbreakable at the moment. Monfils managed to accomplish the feat once, but once was nowhere near enough with the world No. 14 also playing big from the baseline.
Pick: Raonic in 2
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Rafa is feeling the pressure. 🙁
Rafa’s forehand gifting points… his defensive skills earn him a tough one…4-2… PLEASE GET THIS ONE TOO
WOW, Rafa!
M
Rafa fighting.
So near, so far.
Novak could not have been much worse but he won the set.
I wouldn’t put it that way at all.
Oh no! Rafa loses the TB!
That was so close.
ironic smile. DF Nole. 1-1. long from Raf. 2-1. Rafa serving. another long from Raf. 3-1 Nole. Rafa serv. Return winner Nole. 4-1. Nole serv. Misses a lob, does Nole. 4-2. change of sides. Nole serv. let. 5-2 Nole. Raf serv. long bh Nole. 5-3. Raf serv. another long from Nole. Rafa’s FH very good. 5-4. Nole serv. Sheesh passing shot Rafa – good. 5-5. yikes. Nole serves out wide. Rafa hits it long 6-5. Nole but Rafa serving…sigh. Nole gets it 7-5. Awesome tennis match.
Rafa is back…no one apart from Nole woulda won that set. Skin of his teeth.
He won the best point of the tournament to even it at 5-5 …
Rafa made too many bad UE in the tie break :/
Novak’s out-wide serve on the deuce court saved the set for him.
Rafa had SET point…
The way Djokovic smirks his getting on my nerves. So proud of Rafa however.
Honestly, that doesn’t make me feel better. Rafa needed to win that first set to give him some confidence.
But I am proud of Rafa for staying in the fight. He made it competitive and that is one thing we have not seen.
The ESPN commies said that Novak won that TB because of having more confidence. It makes a big difference.
Rafa really needed to win that first set. He needed that boost. I hope he can keep it together now.
Forehand DTL not being utilized effectively …not going for it..
That is what the ESPN commies said earlier. That Rafa had chances to go for the DTL forehand, but didn’t do it.
It was 40-15…down a BP now… too good from DJokovic
Body serve to the rescue again and oh my those are just BRUTAL forehands cross court from Rafa…
tha was surely long!!
No :/ it was in
that was way long
Rafa keeps hitting good first serves and nole is not having the best of returning days…
ARGH deuce again… PLEASE HOLD
They showed some serve stats for Rafa.
He’s getting in a very high percentage of first serves, but only winning 57%.
Yeah…that’s because he is going for the high margin serve..but should be at least 65%+
OH NO…that was so well constructed! missed the the smash
WOAHHHH what a way to close out the game!
10/10 for Rafa’s attitude!