Indian Wells Tennis 2022: Rafael Nadal, Iga Swiatek Advance
Rafael Nadal's quest for a fourth BNP Paribas Open will continue for at least one more round.
Nadal earned a straight-set victory over Reilly Opelka as part of Wednesday's action at Indian Wells.
The reigning Australian Open champion fought through a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5) victory that saw the pair trade service points back and forth. Nadal and Opelka each only won one break point the entire match, with the 6'11" American at times overpowering one of the legends of the sport.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
"He is one of the toughest opponents on Tour," Nadal said after the match. "It is very tough to control his weapons with his serve and forehand. I think I played my best match of the tournament so far today. I am very pleased with how I was able to win the match, with two difficult tiebreaks. This victory means a lot to me."
2022 BNP Paribas Open Results—March 16
Men's Bracket
(4) Rafael Nadal def. (17) Reilly Opelka 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5)
(7) Andrey Rublev def. (11) Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (5), 6-4
Nick Kyrgios def. (10) Jannik Sinner (walkover)
(19) Carlos Alcaraz Garfia def. (26) Gael Monfils 7-5, 6-1
(20) Taylor Fritz def. (29) Alex de Minaur 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5)
(33) Grigor Dimitrov def. (23) John Isner 6-3, 7-6 (6)
Women's Bracket
(3) Iga Swiatek def. (25) Madison Keys 6-1, 6-0
(24) Simona Halep def. Petra Martic 6-1, 6-1
Nadal will move on to play Nick Kyrgios, who advanced in a walkover against Jannik Sinner. Nadal is the top seed left in the tournament after a series of surprising upsets earlier in the tournament.
Seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev also moved on in a straight-set victory over 11th-seeded Hubert Hurkacz. He will take on Grigor Dimitrov, who won a battle of the hard servers against John Isner earlier in the afternoon.
Iga Swiatek and Simona Halep became the first two semifinalists on the women's side of the bracket with equally impressive victories Wednesday. Swiatek lost just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 domination of Madison Keys, taking five of seven break-point opportunities against the American.
An American has not won the California-based tournament since Serena Williams in 2001. It's worth noting that fact is likely due in large part to Serena and Venus Williams boycotting the event after they and their father, Richard, were heckled.
Halep was dominant in her 6-1, 6-1 win over Petra Martic and said she expects a "tough" match against Swiatek.
"Tough, tough match because she's playing the best tennis of her life. She's in the best moment. I expect a really tough one," Halep told reporters of Swiatek. "But I'm here in the semifinal, so I will take that. I will just try my best next one."
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
