Andy Murray takes on Feliciano Lopez; Novak Djokovic also in Indian Wells action
Thursday 19 March 2015 20:34, UK
Andy Murray will be aiming for a record-breaking win and a semi-final berth when he takes on Feliciano Lopez at Indian Wells on Thursday, live on Sky Sports 5.
The world No 4 equalled Tim Henman's British career-wins record of 496 after his straight sets win against Adrian Mannarino in the fourth round.
Murray is into the last eight for the fifth time, and will now take on Spanish lefty Lopez after he upset fifth seed Kei Nishikori.
But the Scot has been in imperious form and heads into his latest clash in the desert aiming to record his tenth victory over his opponent having won all nine of their previous meetings.
In those nine meetings, 33-year-old Lopez has taken just four sets off Murray with the British No 1 sealing a 6-4 6-1 success in their last encounter at the Miami Masters last year.
The former Wimbledon champion has a 15-3 win-loss record in 2015 and can extend his overall career record to an impressive 62-18 against left-handers with another win over 12th-ranked Lopez who was famously nicknamed 'Deliciano' by Murray's mother Judy.
In the later semi-final, world No 1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic will face 35th-ranked Bernard Tomic.
Djokovic sealed a hard-fought win over American John Isner while Tomic eliminated fellow Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis in three sets in the previous round.
The Serb leads the head-to-head meetings 3-0, although this will be their first encounter since the Toronto Masters three years ago.
Tomic, 22, upset eighth seed David Ferrer earlier in the week and has shown solid form with an appearance in at least the quarter-finals of five earlier tournaments this year.
But he will put to the ultimate test against the reigning Australian Open champion on the Californian hard court.
ATP Masters Tennis
The other men's quarter-finals will be played on Friday with Milos Raonic up against Rafael Nadal.
The big-hitting Canadian will have his work cut out because he has never beaten the Spaniard in five career meetings.
Meanwhile, four-time Indian Wells winner Roger Federer will tackle ninth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych.
You can watch live coverage of Andy Murray's match against Feliciano Lopez at Indian Wells from 8pm on Sky Sports 5 on Thursday and the rest of the action from 2am on Sky Sports 3.
Get involved on Twitter @SkySportsTennis, and don't forget, you can watch the tennis without a Sky Subscription for £6.99 with a Now TV Day Pass.
