Nadal rallies in tiebreaker to beat Verdasco at Indian Wells
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) Rafael Nadal survived a wild tiebreaker to beat Fernando Verdasco 6-0, 7-6 (9) in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday.
The three-time Indian Wells champion saved five set points in the tiebreaker and finally closed it out on his second match point when Verdasco's backhand sailed beyond the baseline.
Verdasco has had the upper hand against his fellow Spaniard in the last few years, having won three of their previous four matches, including a five-setter in the first round of the Australian Open in January.
Serena Williams and four-time champion Novak Djokovic were to play in later matches.
Others advancing on the men's side were Kei Nishikori, John Isner and Feliciano Lopez. No. 16 seed Gilles Simon lost to Alexander Zverev 6-2, 6-2.
In the women's draw, Agnieszka Radwanska defeated 2010 winner Jelena Jankovic, 6-3, 6-3, and Petra Kvitova defeated qualifier Nicole Gibbs, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
