However, neither man could find a way through and the first set tie-break produced some of the best tennis of the match, Nadal fighting back from 5-2 down to level at 5-5 before Djokovic clinched the opener.
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The world’s top-ranked player will meet Milos Raonic in Sunday’s final, with Djokovic trying to win a record fifth title in the California desert. Only two of the previous seven went on to win the title: Ivan Ljubicic (26) in 2010 over Andy Roddick, and unseeded Alex Corretja over Thomas Enqvist in 2000.
However, the Spaniard has this week enjoyed an upturn in fortunes at a tournament he has won three times – and his rejuvenation seemed set to continue as he made a roaring start to his 48th meeting with Djokovic.
Watch Indian Wells 2016 Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic semifinal round live via ATP’s official website. “I changed a little bit the rhythm of the match and I think I played well”.
“I don’t think Rafa, myself, we personally look at the rankings very much, check it out all the time after being world No. 1”, Federer said.
“I played well during the week”.
Nadal falls to Djokovic for the sixth straight time. The Belgrade native’s most recent win against Raonic was in the quarterfinal round of the Australian Open, where Djokovic prevailed in straight sets.
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 had the chance in the third set to break him and finish it at 5-5 and I didn’t”, said Wawrinka. “That’s the only thing”. “I think it was the key to the match, to win the first set and to be more relaxed in the second”.
When Raonic wasn’t rocking the radar gun, he showed some subtlety to displace Goffin, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, advancing to the Indian Wells final for the first time. He said he’s been mixing in more serves to the body as opposed to just wide or just down the T, which he used to do. As dominant a world No. 1 as there’s been, the sole defeat on Djokovic’s record this year came when he pulled out of a match against Feliciano Lopez in Dubai with an eye infection.
Djokovic and Raonic have never played each other at the Indian Wells Masters.
Japan’s top player continued to falter with the ball in hand, conceding his serve immediately at the restart, enabling Nadal to edge into a three-game lead without much stress.
“Many matches have been won by top players already before going out on the court”. The Canadian averaged 131 miles an hour (210 kilometres per hour) on his first serve and 112 miles an hour (180 kilometres) on his second. The match itself is pretty simple, it’s Raonic’s booming serve against Djokovic’s steady return. “Maturity is a big part of it”.
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The 25-year-old Raonic stormed into his 17th career ATP final by overpowering Belgian 15th seed Goffin. The 10th-seeded Cilic fell to 0-8 in quarter-finals at Masters 1000 events.
