Friday 17 March 2017 12:57, UK
Nick Kyrgios proved too good for Novak Djokovic once again, sealing a 6-4 7-6 victory that ends the Serb's unbeaten run at Indian Wells.
Five-time champion Djokovic has won the last three titles in the Californian desert but his winning streak was halted at 19 by another thrilling display from the 21-year-old Aussie who also prevailed in Acapulco a fortnight ago.
In a match that lasted almost two hours Kyrgios emerged triumphant to continue his best ever run at Indian Wells and set up a second career meeting with Roger Federer, who dispatched Rafael Nadal 6-2 6-3 later in Wednesday's thrilling day of action.
After his latest victory Kyrgios is yet to drop a set in his two meetings with the former world No 1 who will lose more ground on Andy Murray at the top of the world rankings having failed to defend the 1,000 points on offer.
"I felt like in Acapulco the conditions were a lot different. So I knew I had serve well again today," said Kyrgios, who fired down 14 aces and is yet to be broken this week with Djokovic failing to muster a single break point.
"He's such a great player and professional and I knew it wasn't going to be easy at all.
"I'm just in a good space mentally. I'm really happy, I'm trying really hard for every point and obviously I'm serving at a really high level."
While Kyrgios is displaying the form of his career, Djokovic's disappointing year continues with a title and win over Murray in his first tournament of the year in Doha now a distant memory.
"The run was amazing," said Djokovic, who also won in Indian Wells in 2008 and 2011 before claiming three straight titles from 2014-2016. "I am very proud of it. It had to end at some stage. Unfortunately, it was today."
The 12-time Grand Slam champion was beaten by Denis Istomin in the second round at the Australian Open and has now suffered back-to-back defeats to Kyrgios, meaning he has failed to make the final four of any of his last three tournaments.
World No 3 Stan Wawrinka just about avoided making it a clean sweep of defeats for the world's top three after Djokovic had joined Murray in bowing out early.
The Swiss, who is a three-time Grand Slam winner and has just a solitary Masters title to his name having won in Monte Carlo in 2014, emerged triumphant from a thrilling clash with lucky loser Yoshihito Nishioka who twice served for the match in a roller-coaster deciding set.
As is often the case Wawrinka kept his cool to break back on both occasions before taking the tie-breaker to end the world number 70's unlikely run at the tournament.
With attention focused on the loaded bottom quarter of the draw, fourth seed Kei Nishikori booked his quarter-final spots with another efficient straight sets victory, seeing off American Donald Young with a 6-2 6-4 success.
Next up for the Japanese is another home favourite, Jack Sock, who is continuing his fine year. The 17th seed has two titles already in 2017 and he fought back from a set down to beat Tunisia's Malek Jaziri 4-6 7-6 7-5.
Spain's Pablo Carreno-Busta beat Serbian qualifier Dusan Lajovic to set up a meeting with Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas, a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 winner over 11th-seeded Belgian David Goffin.
You can follow all the action from Indian Wells on Thursday with two sessions underway at 8pm and midnight on Sky Sports 3
