Cameron Norrie powered his way into the BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals at Indian Wells with a commanding straight-sets victory over Andrey Rublev.
The 27-year-old needed just 75 minutes to see off the Russian sixth seed 6-2, 6-4 and claim an eighth successive win with one of his best performances of the season to date. The match began with three successive service breaks, before Norrie held to take control of the first set.
Serving at 4-2 down, Rublev raced to 40-0 up but lost the next five points in a row as Norrie broke again, and the streak continued in the next game as the British No 1 held to love. Norrie clinically broke again in the third game of the second set and appeared to have the match won when he defended break points before breaking Rublev again to lead 5-2 on serve.
Rublev struck an unexpected blow back, saving a match point to break Norrie’s serve for a second time, and backed it up with a hold. Norrie held his nerve, however, closing out the match with a love hold. The world No 12 converted all five of his break points as he squared his head-to-head record against Rublev at 2-2.
The British No 1, who won this tournament in 2021 and beat the world No 2, Carlos Alcaraz, to secure Rio Open glory last month, will face Frances Tiafoe in the last eight after the American defeated Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo 6-4, 6-4.
Daniil Medvedev advanced to the quarter-finals with a gutsy 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-5 victory over Alexander Zverev, extending his winning streak to 17 matches. The Russian battled on after suffering an ankle injury in the second set, but will need a scan before deciding if he can continue in the tournament.
After losing the first set, Medvedev turned over his ankle while trying to make a return in the sixth game. The fifth seed had his ankle heavily taped and returned to the court hobbling, but held on to earn a tie-break, winning it 7-5 to set up a decider. Zverev denied him when serving the match at 5-4, but Medvedev broke again at 5-5 and served out at the second time of asking.
“Now when the adrenaline goes down, the body cools down it is going to be pretty painful,” said Medvedev, winner of three straight titles in Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai. “I am going to do a scan to see what it is and if I can continue to play.”
If Medvedev can play on, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina awaits him in the quarter-finals after the Spaniard beat Chile’s Cristian Garin 6-3, 6-4. Taylor Fritz also advanced to the last eight, seeing off Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics in straight sets.
In the women’s draw, Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka set up a quarter-final clash after defeating Rebecca Peterson and Barbora Krejcikova respectively in three-set battles. Greece’s Maria Sakkari also booked her last-eight place with a hard-fought 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 win over Karolina Pliskova.
Later in Wednesday’s night session in California, there will be two big tests for British players in the last 16. Emma Raducanu takes on the world No 1, Iga Swiatek, while Jack Draper faces Alcaraz in the men’s draw.
