INDIAN WELLS, California, March 12 (Reuters) – Eighth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga withstood a fast start by Mardy Fish in the second set to beat the American 7-6 7-6 in a closely contested third-round match at the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday.

The big-serving Frenchman clinched the first set 7-4 on the tiebreak, then trailed 0-4 in the second as Fish raised his game in front of loud home support at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

INDIAN WELLS, California (Reuters) – Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka struggled to find her rhythm against Kirsten Flipkens in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open on Monday but finished strong to beat the Belgian 3-6 6-3 6-0.

After the wayward start, the top seed and defending champion stormed through the final set, breaking her opponent’s serve in the first, third and fifth games before serving out for victory when a Flipkens backhand flew long.

INDIAN WELLS, California, March 11 (Reuters) – Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka struggled to find her rhythm against Kirsten Flipkens in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open on Monday but finished strong to beat the Belgian 3-6 6-3 6-0.

After the wayward start, the top seed and defending champion stormed through the final set, breaking her opponent’s serve in the first, third and fifth games before serving out for victory when a Flipkens backhand flew long.

INDIAN WELLS, California, March 11 (Reuters) – Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer have coped with the crushing pressure of grand slam finals and held their nerve with Olympic medals at stake, but both were left rattled at the BNP Paribas Open on Monday after an earthquake rocked the California desert.

The magnitude 4.7 quake struck deep beneath a mountain range shortly before 10 a.m. PDT (1700 GMT) about 22 miles south of the resort community of Palm Springs.

INDIAN WELLS, California (Reuters) – Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer stayed on track for a mouth-watering quarter-final showdown at the BNP Paribas Open after they both advanced to the last 16 on Monday.

Spaniard Nadal, twice champion at Indian Wells, was gifted his spot when Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer withdrew with a back injury before the start of their third-round match.

INDIAN WELLS, California, March 11 (Reuters) – Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer stayed on track for a mouth-watering quarter-final showdown at the BNP Paribas Open after they both advanced to the last 16 on Monday.

Spaniard Nadal, twice champion at Indian Wells, was gifted his spot when Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer withdrew with a back injury before the start of their third-round match.

INDIAN WELLS, California (Reuters) – Marathon man Ernests Gulbis was all smiles after earning a fourth-round encounter with former world number one Rafa Nadal at the BNP Paribas Open by winning his 13th match in 17 days on Monday.

Latvian Gulbis, who became the first qualifier to clinch an ATP title this season with his victory at Delray Beach last month, fought back to beat Italy’s Andreas Seppi 5-7 6-3 6-4 in a contest lasting just over two hours.

INDIAN WELLS, California, March 11 (Reuters) – Marathon man Ernests Gulbis was all smiles after earning a fourth-round encounter with former world number one Rafa Nadal at the BNP Paribas Open by winning his 13th match in 17 days on Monday.

Latvian Gulbis, who became the first qualifier to clinch an ATP title this season with his victory at Delray Beach last month, fought back to beat Italy’s Andreas Seppi 5-7 6-3 6-4 in a contest lasting just over two hours.

INDIAN WELLS, California (Reuters) – Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer stayed on track for a mouth-watering showdown in the BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals after they both advanced to the last 16 on Monday.

Spaniard Nadal, twice champion at Indian Wells, was gifted his spot when Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer withdrew with a back injury before the start of their third-round match.

INDIAN WELLS, California, March 11 (Reuters) – Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer stayed on track for a mouth-watering showdown in the BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals after they both advanced to the last 16 on Monday.

Spaniard Nadal, twice champion at Indian Wells, was gifted his spot when Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer withdrew with a back injury before the start of their third-round match.