Djokovic, Murray into Round of 16 at Indian Wells

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Djokovic, Murray into Round of 16 at Indian Wells

By Chris Oddo

(March 12, 2013) -- On a scorching hot day at the BNP Paribas Open, Novak Djokovic overcame an early surge from 21-year-old to push past Grigor Dimitrov 7-6(4), 6-1 for his 20th consecutive victory.

The two-time Indian Wells titlist was down a break at 5-2 in the first set, but Dimitrov faded, tossing in four double-faults in a regrettable 9th game, and finally falling in the tiebreaker to the World No. 1.

“I was trying to mentally stay tough and hang in there and wait for my opportunities,” said Djokovic afterwards. “I played a good tiebreaker and from that moment on I felt more comfortable on the court.”

Djokovic will face the last man to beat him, American Sam Querrey, in the round of 16.

Querrey became the 13th man to be the No. 1-ranked American when he squeaked past Marinko Matosevic 7-6(5), 6-7(7), 7-5 in two hours and forty-seven minutes. John Isner, who dropped out against Lleyton Hewitt in the 2nd round, was holding the post heading into the event.

“It was tough,” said Querrey of the grueling struggle with Matosevic. “Last couple of weeks, those are the matches I lost.”

Querrey, who upset Djokovic after getting bageled in the first set at the second round of the Paris Masters last year, has a career record of 1-4 against the No. 1 seed.

Djokovic’s possible semifinal opponent Andy Murray also had a relatively uneventful day, as he saved all five break points he faced to dismiss Yen-Hsun Lu 6-3, 6-2. On a day where neither player made more than half of their first serves, it was the 2012 U.S. Open champion's all-court superiority that helped him put distance between himself and the World No. 79.

“He started well,” said Murray. “He can kind of leave you flat-footed sometimes and he certainly did that a lot in the first set.”

Murray won 19 of 30 points against Lu’s second serve and converted four of six break points on the afternoon. He will face Carlos Berlocq of Argentina in the round of 16.

Berlocq avenged a loss at the Australian Open against Kei Nishikori earlier this year, defeating the 16th seed, 6-2, 6-2 in what was the upset of the day on the men’s side. Berlocq did not face a break point, winning 29 of 32 points off his first serve.

In one of the more entertaining matches of the day, 34-year-old Tommy Haas saved a match point to defeat Nicolas Almagro, 6-3, 6-7(2), 7-6(2). Haas made a highlight-reel stick save off an Almagro forehand at 4-5, 30-40 in the third set, and won the hotly contested battle in a tiebreaker over the 11th seed to reach the round of 16.

He’ll face Juan Martin del Potro. The Argentine took out Bjorn Phau in a match that played much closer than the 6-2, 7-5 scoreline indicates. Phau served for the second set, but couldn’t keep the 7th seed from improving his record to 13-3 on the season.

In other action around the grounds, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ended Mardy Fish’s return to tennis with a 7-6(4), 7-6(0) victory. Fish led 4-0 in the second set, but Tsonga rallied to win the next four games to level. After another break, Fish served for the set but couldn’t hold of the Frenchman, who is now 4-0 versus Fish.

The Frenchman, who has reached the round of 16 at Indian Wells in four of six appearances, will face Canadian Milos Raonic next. Raonic dropped the first set to Marin Cilic on Stadium 2, but rallied to win in three.

(Photo Credit: AP)