Reuters
Indian Wells, March 20: Defending champion and top seed Novak Djokovic moved a step closer to a fifth title with a 7-6(7-5), 6-2 victory over long-time rival Rafa Nadal in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open here Saturday. The Serb will meet Canadian Milos Raonic who ended the giant-killing run of David Goffin 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
Djokovic and Nadal treated the fans to several compelling rallies at the sun-baked Indian Wells Tennis Garden but the Serb, for the most part, held the upper hand and broke his opponent twice in the second set to secure victory.
“There were things that I could have done better but I finished off the match very well and I am very pleased to get through to the final,” Djokovic stated in a courtside interview after improving his record against Nadal to 25-23.
“The first set was very close and decided by one or two points in a tie-breaker and I was just fortunate to get through that one,” he added.
Breaks of serve were traded in the second and third games of an eagerly awaited showdown, before Nadal later squandered a set point in the 10th game when he netted a forehand.
Though the Spaniard came from 2-5 down in the tie-break to level at 5-5, Djokovic edged ahead 6-5 after a strong first serve before clinching the set after a little more than an hour when his opponent netted a backhand.
Nadal came under increasing pressure to hold serve in the second set as Djokovic dominated their baseline exchanges and the Spanish left-hander finally cracked in the sixth game when he dumped another forehand into the net to trail 2-4.
Serving at 2-5, Nadal clawed his way back from 0-40 and saved five match points in all before another tired shot from the baseline sailed long to hand victory to Djokovic.