M 1000 INDIAN WELLS. California. by Emiliano Naftali
Tommy Paul (17th in the world rankings) displayed significant character in the round of 16 at Indian Wells. The American was not intimidated by Luca Nardi (123rd), who had defeated Novak Djokovic (1st), and comfortably beat him 6-4, 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals.
The first set was evenly matched, with both players showing solidity in their serves. However, towards the end of the set, Paul achieved the crucial break and closed it with a love game.
The start of the second set was different, as Paul quickly broke Nardi’s serve and took a 3-1 lead. From then on, he maintained the advantage without trouble, without facing any risks on his serves, and sailed to a comfortable victory.
With this win, Paul halted the progress of the player who had been dubbed the “revelation” of the tournament. Now, he will face Norway’s Casper Ruud (9th) in the quarterfinals, against whom he has a challenging record of four losses and just one victory