Nadal to play against Federer in quarterfinals at Indian Wells
(03-14 14:55)
Rafael Nadal will face Roger Federer in the BNP Paribas Open quarterfinals after coming back to beat Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the fourth round Wednesday.
Federer earlier survived a three-set marathon of his own to defeat 18th-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-5, AP reports.
Maria Sharapova and top-ranked Novak Djokovic had yet to play their night matches after all four of the preceding matches on the main stadium court went three sets.
Gulbis was on a 13-match winning streak, having made his way through the qualifying rounds at Delray Beach, Florida, where he won the title, and at Indian Wells, where he won three main-draw matches, including two over seeded players.
He was playing his 14th match in 19 days, and has yet to beat Nadal in five attempts.
Nadal earned the only break of the third set to go up 6-5, then closed out the win on his third match point. He leapt in the air, tore off his headband and pumped his left arm, yelling, ``Yeah!''
"`With all the problems, I was able to keep being focused and keep winning,'' he said. "I really appreciate every moment and every victory.''
The fifth-seeded Spaniard returned to the ATP Tour a month ago, winning two of three tournaments on clay after missing seven months with a left knee injury. Nadal, shaken by an earthquake that rattled Indian Wells on Monday, had a walkover in his third-round match when Leonardo Mayer withdrew with a bad back.
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