Serena Williams (Photo : Twitter)
With the competition now at its peak, it's time for the big guns to take the other half as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams make their way to the Indian Wells court for their respective semifinal assignments.
Event Details:
Tournament: BNP Paribas Open - Indian Wells
TV Schedule Date: Coverage for men's quarterfinal starts at 2:00 p.m on ESPN and 10 p.m on ESPN 2, while you can catch all the action from 2:00 p.m to 12:00 midnight on Tennis Channel
Streaming Information: Live Streaming feed is available on Tennis TV (with membership fee) and ESPN Watch. Audio Streaming on BNP Paribas Open Radio.
Scores/Update: Live Scores, full results and updates are available on BNP Paribas Open Game center
Rafael Nadal vs. Kei Nishikori - 3:00 p.m Court 1
After surviving rising star Alexander Zverev in a dogfight match in the fourth round, the 29-year old Nadal is set to face a veteran who knows how to finish off an opponent when leading.
Kei Nishikori of Japan, former US Open semifinalist, is expected to give Nadal a much testier quarterfinal match-up a day after grinding out a three-set win over Big John Isner 1-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5). Unlike Zverev, Nishikori isn't a stranger in facing and beating highly-ranked foes, and Nadal isn't an exception.
On the other hand, three tough matches in a row, including a survival showdown with the German teenager on Wednesday, could have awakened the beast inside Nadal. It has been a rough year for the former world's no.1, yet there's still a glimmer of a hope he can recover from this funk and become his dominant self again. Today could be that day.
Novak Djokovic vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 5:00 p.m
Just another day at the office for the world's no.1 huh? After a shaky performance in his first two matches, Djokovic was back in his form against Feliciano Lopez as he easily dispatched the Spaniard 6-3, 6-3. There's no question the Serb will go deep in this kind of tournament; however, if there's one opponent he needs to look out that would be Tsonga, who hasn't dropped a set in this tourney.
Serena Williams vs. Agnieszka Radwanska - 10:00 p.m
Williams is the overwhelming favorite heading into her semifinal showdown with Radwanska. While the American isn't playing at a grand slam level, it's apparently enough to dispatch three solid foes, including Simona Halep of Romania in the quarters.
On the other hand, Radwanska has also been playing pretty well in the tourney as she defeated former world's no.1 Jalena Jankovic and two-time Grand Slam winner Petra Kvitova. The question now is does she have all it takes to beat the greatest ever? We find out Friday night.
