Indian Wells Day 7 review: Gulbis beats Dimitrov, Djokovic stretched to 3 sets

Ernests Gulbis, a victor at Indian Wells yesterday

The women played all the pre-quarter final matches in one day as the top seeds were in action. Meanwhile, the men’s bottom half rounded off the third round. Here’s a recap of the most significant results:

Men’s 3rd round

8th-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet was upset by mercurial Spaniard and 30th seed Fernando Verdasco. Richard troubled Verdasco in the first set but fell away as the match progressed in a 6-7 1-6 loss. Verdasco set up a date with American giant John Isner who overcame Chinese Taipei’s Yen-Hsun Lu in a straight-forward 6-4 6-3 victory.

Latvian Ernests Gulbis played Grigor Dimitrov in a match between two exciting prospects on the men’s tour. It was dubbed as “Baby Federer vs Mini Marat”! However, there was nothing light about the match as Gulbis advanced in three with a come-from-behind 2-6 6-1 7-5 victory. Gulbis now plays Roberto Bautista Agut who defeated Jarkko Nieminen in three tight sets, 6-2 4-6 7-6.

Feliciano Lopez also advanced in a come-from-behind 1-6 6-3 6-4 over Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin. Lopez, the mercurial Spaniard, showed both sides of his game in this win – the good side as well as the bad side. He now plays Julien Benneteau who defeated Dominic Theim. Benneteau won 7-6 6-3 despite being down a break in the first set.

A resurgent Croat by the name of Marin Cilic also advanced, making light work of Spaniard 16th seed Tommy Robredo in a routine 6-4 6-3 win. Cilic now plays the highest seed left in the tournament, Novak Djokovic. Djokovic was stretched to three by the unheralded Alejandro Gonzalez in a 6-1 3-6 6-1 win, largely due to his own complacency.

Women’s pre-quarterfinals

In the 1st pre-quarter final, top seed Li Na of China defeated a surprise opponent in Canadian Alexandra Wozniak. Li, the Australian champion, has been playing well all through the tournament and was dominant in a straight set 6-1 6-4 win. It was a straightforward match for Li who dominated from the word go and although Wozniak showed signs of a fight in the second, it was never enough to seriously trouble Li.

Li’s opponent now is a familiar foe, a foe she defeated in the Australian Open final, the dimunitive Dominika Cibulkova. Cibulkova’s opponent was the mightily inconsistent Czech Petra Kvitova. I have to say Cibulkova surprised me with the domination she showed in her 6-3 6-2 victory. In an exciting re-match, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.

Prediction for the quarterfinal: Li to defeat Cibulkova in three sets

No. 20 seed Italian Flavia Pennetta ended the dream run of her fellow Italian, qualifier Camila Giorgi, with a resounding 6-2 6-1 win. Most people whom Giorgi beat were not very familiar with her game, but countrywoman Pennetta was, as she showcased in what could be called a mauling. Pennetta the veteran was always a step ahead of Giorgi and she deservedly went through.

Pennetta’s opponent in the quarter finals will be American Sloane Stephens. The No. 17 seed defeated Alisa Kleybanova of Russia as tensions grow between the two countries. Stephens gave the US a victory, albeit on a tennis court in her 6-3 7-5 win. Stephens always looked the brighter player and never looked like losing. She controlled the match for most parts in a routine victory.

Prediction: Stephens to defeat Pennetta in straight sets if she gets an underwhelming crowd; if not, then it’s anybody’s guess

Meanwhile, 6th seed Simona Halep defeated Canadian Eugenie Bouchard in a contest of up-and-coming players on the WTA tour in a see-saw and entertaining 6-2 1-6 6-4 win. The first two sets were dominated by the two players alternately but the higher ranked Romanian displayed the true character of a champion in the third. Genie has continued to win hearts and I have no doubt in my mind that these two will be top-level, if not the best around, in the not-so distant future.

Halep now takes on Australian qualifier Casey Dellacqua who got a walkover from American sensation Lauren Davis. Dellacqua has a golden opportunity in the quarter finals, but Halep is by no means an easy opponent.

Prediction: Halep to defeat Dellacqua in straight sets.

Polish second seed Agnieszka Radwanska also advanced as she defeated Frenchwoman Alize Cornet. Radwanska picked up what can only be described as a run-of-the-mill win as she won 7-5 6-3. Aga didn’t need to do anything special in the match but still went through with relative ease.

Aga’s opponent in the quarters would be a former World No. 1 in Serb seventh seed Jelena Jankovic. “JJ” overcame another former World No. 1 – Dane Caroline Wozniacki – in the fourth round. The result was never really in doubt and Jankovic cruised through the match 6-3 6-1.

Prediction: Jankovic to defeat Radwanska in three sets