(October 13, 2021) INIDAN WELLS, California – U. S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev looked to be in cruise control, up 6-4, 4-1 only two games away from moving into the men’s final eight at the BNP Paribas Open. Suddenly the top seed lost his game while his opponent Grigor Dimitrov found his. The Bulgarian won 8 straight games to go up 4-6, 6-4, 3-0 to go on to a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory.

“Little by little I was just trying to stay in the game, stay in the moment, and really fight through every opportunity I had,” the 2017 ATP Finals winner said after the match. “I really had to go for it.”

“I really wanted to play this match to be completely honest. I think what he has been able to accomplish this past, like, year and a half is pretty amazing. I think it really pushes me also to do better,” Dimitrov said in his news conference.

Asked about how he escaped froma set and two breaks down, Dimitrov told media: “I mean, I don’t know. I guess I stayed in the game. I think it was very important to stay in the game. Been watching quite a bit of his matches. I really wanted to play this match to be completely honest. I think what he has been able to accomplish this past, like, year and a half is pretty amazing. I think it really pushes me also to do better.

“So, yeah, the first two points at 4-1 was where everything started to turn around for me a little bit. I think little by little I was just trying to stay in the game, stay in the moment, and really fight through every opportunity I had. I really had to go for it.

“Of course, at some point I really had to alter my game a little bit to kind of adapt towards the lead, of course. After the second break, was 4-All, then I had a very good service game. Then, yeah, I didn’t expect to break him at 5-4, but I picked up on all the serves he went for. His percentage of the serve dropped a lot. That was giving a lot more looks for me.”

Medvedev talked about his collapse: “I mean, there are three things I want to say, because tennis is not about just one thing. First of all, I mean, I don’t remember myself losing three service games, even four service games ever, I guess, on hard courts. That shows how slow this court is and the conditions, more like clay, I would say, which I don’t like, because to lose four times the serve is just unacceptable. Yeah, that’s why I lost the set.

“Second, I knew that during the day, much tougher to control the ball for me, especially on the serve. That’s what we saw in some moments I couldn’t pass my first serve. That’s why I was asking to play at night, but this time it was not possible because I had a day off where other guys played yesterday and were supposed to play today, so they were playing late at night. That’s completely normal, but I knew it’s not going to advantage me.

“Third thing, Grigor, going to be straightforward, if he plays like this like he did starting from 4-1, he’s going to win the tournament. But let’s see the final result of the tournament.”

Dimitrov who has reached his first Indian Wells quarterfinal, will be taking on No. 8 seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland who beat who beat 19th-seeded Asian Karatsev 6-1, 6-3.

“Today performance was good on my side,” said the Pole. “I returned well. I was making a lot of balls. You know, I was also getting some free points on the serve, so that was very important for today’s game.

Diego Schwartzman notched his first Top 10 win of the season to reach his first Indian wells quarterfinal when he beat No. 6 Casper Ruud of Norway 6-3, 6-3.

The Argentine said: “I’m very happy, because I was just trying to find my best tennis one more time. I was doing very well. You know, I lost Rublev two times in the last three weeks, and I was very close two times, I was playing very good tennis.

“So since May, you know, June, I’m playing great tennis. I mean, I know that. I’m practicing well. I’m ready to compete. I’m feeling healthy, good, you know.

“The conditions for me are good, you know, when I’m walking on court. I was just trying to be ready for the chance, and I think today I was ready for that. That’s why I’m very happy, because I think at the end when you follow and you are going in one direction and you find a way to be there and win matches, it’s good.

“I think right now I’m feeling good, and it’s good because we don’t have too many more weeks in the tour this year, so at the end, it’s nice to feel, you know, in this way at the end of the season.

“Yeah, it’s huge for me. It’s big especially to have a good win against a really good player yesterday, then kind of come back and play even better today against another really good player.

“Just play my game, play it well, play confidently, just close it out. It feels great to do it. Also it’s such a special tournament to me, as well.”

The Argentine will face Brit Cameron Norrie for a spot in the semifinals. Norrie stopped American Tommy Paul 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

American Taylor Fritz had his seventh win over a Top 10 player when he stopped No. 10 Jannik Sinner 6-4, 6-3. Fritz had previously practiced with the Italian and the experience paid off.

“I think I definitely knew what to expect,” Fritz said.. “I’ve only practiced with Jannik twice, I think. But both times have been I feel like I left the court and, Wow, that was such a high-level practice.

“I feel the way he hits the ball feels really good for the way I hit the ball. I like the pace and the spin. I don’t know how to really describe it. I feel like both of us hit the ball well off of each other’s balls.

“I definitely knew or expected to play well today.

“Yeah, it’s huge for me. It’s big especially to have a good win against a really good player yesterday, then kind of come back and play even better today against another really good player.

“Just play my game, play it well, play confidently, just close it out. It feels great to do it. Also it’s such a special tournament to me, as well.”

In women’s quarterfinal action, Victoria Azarenka and Jelena Ostapenko will face off for a place in the final as both women won their matches on Wednesday.

The former Indian Wells winner Azarenka defeated 19th seed American Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-2 while Ostapenko battled past American Shelby Rogers 6-4, 4-6, 6-3,

“I thought it was a really good match,” Azarenka said.. “Very high quality from both players. Very consistent in terms of level for me. I felt that I really played well in the crucial moments. I felt like I stepped up a lot to the occasion. That’s what I’m really happy with today.:

More to follow…..

Photo gallery by Chad Lominick