Casper Ruud came back from one set down to book his spot in the quarter final at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells with a 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 win over Frenchman Gael Monfils in 2 hours and 27 minutes. Ruud has reached the quarter final in a Masters 1000 tournament for the 11th time in his career.
Monfils earned a break in the sixth game to win the first set 6-3. Ruud saved two break points in the fifth game to hold serve for 3-2. Monfils fended off three break points in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Ruud earned the first mini-break to take a 3-1 lead. Monfils pulled back on serve for 2-3. Ruud won three consecutive points to take a 6-2 earning four set points. Monfils saved a a set point, but Ruud sealed the tie-break with his fourth mini-break.
Monfils did not convert a break point in the second game of the third set. Ruud earned the decisive break in the third game and held on his next service games to win the third set 6-4 in just under two and a half hours.
Ruud has reached the quarter final at each of the ATP Masters 1000 tournaments. The Norwegian player has extended his good period of form winning 10 of his 12 matches since the Australian Open, where he lost to Cameron Norrie in the third round. Ruud reached two consecutive finals losing to Jordan Thompson in Los Cabos and to Alex De Minaur in Acapulco. He beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semifinal in Los Cabos and Ben Shelton in the quarter final and Holger Rune in the semifinal in Acapulco.
Ruud will face Tommy Paul, who beat Luca Nardi 6-4 6-3 in 81 minutes. Paul recently recently reached the final in Delray Beach before losing to Taylor Fritz.
Nardi saved two break points in the first game of the opening set, but he did not convert his chance when he sent his forehand into the net in the second game.
Nardi saved another break point in the seventh game with a backhand. Paul broke serve at 15 in the ninth game and held his serve at love to win the first set 6-4 after 41 minutes. Nardi saved two break points in the third game of the second set but Paul converted his third chance to take a 2-1 lead. Paul sealed the second set with another break on his second match point.
Nardi upset world number 1 Novak Djokovic in the previous round.
Paul has reached his fourth Masters 1000 quarter final and the first on US soil. Paul has not dropped a set this week.
Paul won 15 of his 18 net points. The US player has not dropped a set yet at this tournament.
“It was a cool match-up today. He played really well and we pushed each other early in the first set and I started getting really comfortable coming to the net”, said Paul.
Danil Medvedev eased past Grigor Dimitrov 6-4 6-4 to reach the quarter finals. Medvedev dropped just five points on his first serve and earned his first break of the opening set after Dimitrov made a double fault down the break point.
Dimitrov saved three break points from 0-40 down at 3-5, but Medvedev served out the first set at love.
Medvedev broke serve at 30 to take a 2-1 lead in the second set, but Dimitrov broke straight back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Medvedev earned a second break in the second game to take a 4-3 lead and served out the win on his first match point.
Medvedev set up a quarter final against either Holger Rune or Taylor Fritz.
Medvedev has won all hard-court Masters 1000 titles except from Indian Wells.
