Indian Wells - Andreescu, Svitolina into semis

Indian Wells - Day Eight, the first of the WTA quarter finals, and ATP round of sixteen.

BNP Paribas Open - a WTA Premier Mandatory category tournament, on Hard Plexipave, in Indian Wells, California, USA, 4-17 March 2019.

Defending champion:

Naomi Osaka who defeated Dasha Kasatkina (20) 6-3 6-2

WTA quarter finals

• Garbiñe Muguruza (20) v wildcard Bianca Andreescu 

Teenage sensation Andreescu gave dual Grand Slam title winner Muguruza an absolute hammering, taking just 52 minutes to make the semi finals.

In the opening set, the Canadian won 76% of points on her serve and  71% of points on the Muguruza version.

While Muguruza had one chance to break the Andreescu serve, and failed, the 18 year old converted three of the five chances afforded her.

A competed whitewash 6-0.

Nothing changed in set two, other than the Spaniard actually registered a score on the board in game four.  However, that was it for the day.  Andreescu broke once before and once after that game and waltzed into the final four with a huge statement 6-0 6-1

• Elina Svitolina (6) defeated Marketa Vondrousova 4-6 6-4 6-4, and will play Bianca Andreescu in a semi final

BNP Paribas Open - an ATP Masters 1000 category tournament, on Hard Plexipave, in Indian Wells, California, USA, 4-17 March 2019.

Defending champion:

Juan Martin del Potro (6) who defeated Roger Federer (1) 6-4 6-7(8) 7-6(2)

ATP round of sixteen 

• Hubert Hurkacz v Denis Shapovalov (24)

Hurkacz is in the form of his life, having beaten Nishikori twice in the past few weeks, and making the quarter finals in Dubai.  This time last year he was ranked outside the top 200.

Now the 22 year old from Poland is ranked 67, and assured of moving within a few spots of the top 50 after defeating Shapovalov in three sets here.

The opening set produced only one break point, that for the benefit of Shapovalov.  It was unused, and a tie break eventuated.

After five points each had lost one point on serve and Hurkacz was ahead 3-2.  Then Shapovalov overhit a backhand, couldn’t handle a Hurkacz backhand, and dumped a forehand into the net, giving the Polish player four set points.  A spectacular volley saved one, but the set was won on a Canadian error next point 7-6(3)

Shapovalov dominated set two, breaking three times from six chances, and winning the final four games to level at 6-7(3) 6-2.

However, it was Hurkacz who finished the better, breaking the Shapovalov delivery in the opening and closing games of the decider, to claim a 7-6(3) 2-6 6-3 victory.

• Milos Raonic (13) defeated Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4 6-3
• Lucky loser Miomir Kecmanovic defeated Yoshihito Nishioka 6-4 0-0  
• Rafa Nadal (2) defeated qualifier Filip Krajinovic 6-3 6-4 
• Roger Federer (4) defeated Kyle Edmund (22) 6-1 6-4
• Karen Khachanov (12) defeated John Isner (8) 6-4 7-6(1)
• Dominic Thiem (7) defeated Ivo Karlovic 6-4 6-3
• Gaël Monfils (18) defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-0 6-2

Quarter final match ups 

Gaël Monfils (18 v Dominic Thiem (7)

Milos Raonic (13) v lucky loser Miomir Kecmanovic 

Hubert Hurkacz v Roger Federer (4)

Karen Khachanov (12) v Rafa Nadal (2)