Roger Federer saw off Fernando Gonzalez 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 at Indian Wells on Wednesday to set up a quarter-final with another Fernando — Verdasco.
Meanwhile, defending champion Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray also advanced.
Federer’s 12th win in 13 matches against Gonzalez kept him on track in his bid to become the first man to win four times at Indian Wells. Second-seeded Federer won the title from 2004 to 2006, joining Americans Jimmy Connors and Michael Chang as the only three-time champions.
PHOTO: AP
Gonzalez fought his way back into the match in the second set, overcoming earlier frustration he had vented by slamming a racket onto the court — three times — and shattering it. He earned the first break against Federer this week, but the Swiss star broke in the last set for a 2-1 lead and again for 5-2.
Federer said he felt he finally was able to establish some rhythm in his game after playing mostly serve-and-return against his first two opponents.
“Today was a bit more baseline, even though I couldn’t find his [Gonzalez’s] backhand,” Federer said. “If you don’t find his backhand, the point is over quickly. He has such a massive forehand. I’m looking forward to playing against Verdasco. It’s a good thing that I’m still in the tournament and facing an opponent who actually is going to extend the rallies a little bit.”
PHOTO: AP
The 10th-seeded Verdasco won his fourth-round match against unseeded Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.
Federer has a 2-0 record against Verdasco, although both victories were on clay courts.
Verdasco helped Spain win the Davis Cup final last year and reached his first Grand Slam semi-finals at the Australian Open.
Until now, he’d never passed the third round at Indian Wells.
World No. 4 Murray progressed when old nemesis Tommy Robredo retired with an injured right wrist.
Murray was leading 6-2, 3-0 after 50 minutes when Robredo was too hurt to continue.
He said he was aware Robredo had a problem with his wrist, although he still seemed to be hitting the ball OK.
“But mentally, a wrist problem can be tough,” Murray said. “I know because I’ve been through it. It’s just the pain that’s there and feeling like something might happen.”
The Briton had expected a tough match because Robredo had won both previous encounters and both players had won two titles already this year.
Murray improved his career-best start to the season to 18-1.
He will play unseeded Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia, who outlasted Igor Andreev of Russia 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4).
Ljubicic saved five match points on serve at 6-5 in the third set.
Djokovic defeated Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (10/8) a round earlier than he did a year ago.
Seventh-seeded Andy Roddick, the lone American remaining in the singles draw, came back strong in the third set to beat David Ferrer 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-3. Roddick finished with 10 aces against his Spanish opponent, who served eight of his own.
Juan Martin del Potro defeated John Isner 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3) and will next meet top-seeded Rafael Nadal.
World No. 1 Nadal saved five match points before beating David Nalbandian 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-0 in a classic encounter.
In a match that finished past 2am, Argentine Nalbandian had four match points at 5-3 in the second set and another on his own serve at 5-4.
But Nadal showed amazing resilience to break back and then snatch the set on a tie-break, before ripping through the decider for his first win over Nalbandian in three attempts.
In women’s matches, No. 8 seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus eliminated top-seeded Dinara Safina of Russia 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 6-3 in the quarter-finals.
A 19-year-old from Belarus, Azarenka won titles at Brisbane and Memphis earlier this year.
Fourth-seeded Vera Zvonareva was the first woman into the semi-finals when she dispatched ninth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-2.
Despite hitting 12 double faults, Zvonareva lost her serve only once, while breaking the Danish teen four times.
It’s the Russian’s third semi-final of the year after her run to the last four at the Australian Open and the title in Pattaya, Thailand, last month.
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