He needed to dig deep in a tight opening set as Nadal raised his game to match the world number one, Djokovic coming from a break down to take the opener in a tie-break before a crucial break in the second set up his win.
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It was another masterful performance from Djokovic after getting tested several times all throughout the tournament, but against Raonic, the Serb has to duplicate his impressive outputs at the Californian desert. It is his first Masters final since falling to Novak Djokovic in the 2014 Paris Indoors final. “We are playing finals, so I’ll try to also use the experience that I have had playing in many Masters 1000 finals in this tournament, as well”.
Novak Djokovic holds a 5-0 record over Milos Raonic.
However, the No 4 seed then sent a limp backhand into the net to surrender the first set in a little over an hour and was always on the back foot as Djokovic raised his intensity levels.
“I’m using a lot more of the body serve”, admitted Raonic who missed Canada’s recent Davis Cup trip to Guadaloupe to play the French because of a torn abductor suffered in the Australian Open semi-final against Andy Murray.
Djokovic and Raonic have never played each other at the Indian Wells Masters. “Maybe I’m quicker. I can take the ball earlier than a big guy”.
“I feel like I’m dealing with the situations much better”, he said.
Both Nadal and Djokovic eased through their Indian Wells quarter-final contests in straight sets Friday and will now square off in a match worthy of a title clash.
Djokovic avenged his only lost this season after the Serb dismissed Spain’s Feliciano Lopez in the fourth round of Indian Wells 6-3 6-3.
On the bright side for Nadal, this one was unlike their five previous meetings in that he at least had a chance.
“I beat a top 10 player and that is important for my confidence”, said Nadal, who is hoping to put to bed speculation that his career is on a downward spiral.
Goffin advances to the quarter-finals, where he will face Marin Cilic, who defeated France’s Richard Gasquet 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 in another three-set thriller.
That momentum carried over to the second set, with the world No. 5 grabbing a 3-0 lead and finishing off the victory six games later.
Rafael Nadal may have lost to Novak Djokovic for the sixth successive time in crashing out of the BNP Paribas Open semi-finals, but the Spaniard believes it could be the start of his revival.
Nadal, a three-time victor here, came up short in making his 100th career singles final with his second loss to Djokovic this year. “I did as much as I could to prepare, I’m grateful I made the most of my opportunities this week”.
Still, Raonic has yet to drop a set in four matches.
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However, after the American found her rhythm she claimed four straight games to take control of the set, she continued her run in the second to win the opening three games before her Polish opponent fought back.
