The BNP Paribas Open has a new men’s doubles champion.

Frenchmen Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert rolled past Canadian Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock 6-3 7-6(5) on Saturday to dethrone the defending champions and claim their first title in Indian Wells.

The win also gave Mahut and Herbert their third tour-level title. For Mahut, it’s already his second ATP World Tour doubles title of 2016; he partnered with Pospisil last month to win in Rotterdam.

“You guys are one of the most consistent teams throughout the year,” Sock said of Mahut and Herbert.

Mahut, who improved to 12-10 in doubles finals, and Herbert, now 4-3, also earned 1,000 Emirates ATP Doubles Ranking points and will split $336,920 in prize money.

They won the championship by taking the big points. The French duo earned the match’s only break in its fourth game to go up 3-1. The pairings stayed on serve the remainder of the set. Mahut and Herbert did face two break points while serving at 4-2, but they erased both and held. An Herbert overhead that hit Sock on the bounce gave the Frenchmen the first set.

“We knew from the beginning that we needed to be playing our game 100 per cent, be aggressive, and not let them play, so that’s what we did,” Herbert said.

The teams traded holds during the second set, forcing the tie-break. During the Frenchmen’s first championship point, a strong return to Sock’s feet from Herbert forced the American to sail it long.

“We were lucky to be able to play on this big court for the final against guys who won last year,” Mahut said. “We like big challenges.”

Mahut and Herbert also were more opportunistic with their first serves. The pairing landed 72 per cent of them, compared to 62 per cent for their opponents. Sock and Pospisil also were 0-5 on break points.

Mahut and Herbert became the first French pairing to win the Indian Wells title since Arnaud Clement and Sebastien Grosjean in 2004 (d. W. Black/Ullyett). “We’re going to be happy to come back next year,” Herbert said.

A lot went wrong for Novak Djokovic in the opening set against Rafael Nadal in their semi-final at the BNP Paribas Open Saturday, but one key strategy managed to flourish, and ultimately carry the World No. 1 to a 7-6(5) 6-2 victory.

The first set counted for everything in this match, as it has proven to be in their storied rivalry, with Djokovic owning a 20-3 record when winning the opening set, and Nadal almost identical at 20-4.

But Djokovic was floundering in the opening stanza, committing a head-turning 21 unforced errors to Nadal’s 16, along with 10 forehand return errors, and nine backhand return errors. The court temporarily not big enough for the World No. 1.

Djokovic immediately fell behind 0-2 courtesy of back-to-back double faults, and Nadal looked a real threat. But there was one ray of light, one very specific strategy that was instrumental in ultimately winning the opening set – outstanding success serving to the Spaniard’s backhand.

Overall in Set 1, Djokovic won 75 per cent (12/16) of first serves to Nadal’s backhand, and 80 per cent (4/5) on second serves. It was the perfect rescue plan when the rest of his game was out to sea.

Deuce Court – Wide Slider

There was no place Djokovic targeted more in the opening set with his first serve than a wide, slicing delivery in the deuce court.

He attempted 12, made 10, and won eight behind his first serve. Of the eight, three first serves were unreturned, and Djokovic hit five aggressive “Serve +1” forehands to ramp up the pressure and make Nadal run hard from well outside the deuce court alley to begin the point.

It speaks volumes to the amazing success of the tactic that Nadal was not able to make Djokovic hit a single backhand groundstroke as his first shot after the serve from this return location.

At 5-6, 15-15, with the pressure metre rising rapidly, Djokovic sliced his first serve out wide and hit two forehands and a backhand from a dominant court position right around the baseline. The Serb finished with an inside-in forehand winner from around the singles line in the ad court.

The forehand gets the credit for winning the point, but the wide slice serve was what really put him in the driver’s seat.

Leading 4-2 in the tie-break, Djokovic hit another wide slider for a let, then went straight back to the same location, procuring an easy Serve +1 run-around forehand winner from around the service line in the ad court.

At 5-5 in the ‘breaker, Djokovic went back to the same basic play, and Nadal split step the wrong way to the middle, missing a stretching wide backhand return long. It was a pivotal moment to stop Nadal’s three-point win streak from 2-5 in the tie-break.

Second Serves to the Backhand

Djokovic also went wide to the Nadal backhand in the deuce court with four second serves in the opening set, winning every one.

In Set 1, Djokovic committed three double faults, Nadal won 3/3 returning Djokovic’s second serve with a forehand return, but only 1/5 with a backhand return.

The four second serves that Djokovic won to Nadal’s backhand return were all sliced very wide to the Spaniard’s backhand in the deuce court at key moments.

The first was with Djokovic serving at 1-2, 30/30, then at 4-5, love -all, and deuce. The last one was at 5-6, 40/15 to send Djokovic into a tie-break.

Saving Set Point

Djokovic was down set point at 4-5, 30/40, and nailed a 118mph first serve down the middle in the ad court to Nadal’s backhand return. Djokovic then thumped two forehands from the middle of the court, with the second forcing a running forehand error from Nadal wide in the ad court.

Big points like this one demand the highest percentage pattern of play from the server. Djokovic nailed it.

Overview

With the pressure released from winning the opening set, Djokovic relaxed and found his game, only committing eight unforced errors in Set 2, while winning 100 per cent (7/7) on second serves. He didn’t face a break point.

It was a tough loss for Nadal, but also a very good one. Getting so close in Set 1 was a real positive, and the ability to dictate much more against Djokovic than we have recently seen will bring real hope that his game is headed in the right direction.

Sometimes it does not matter if a lot goes wrong in a tennis match, as long as you find a single ray of light to find your way home.

Here is a history of the duo’s 48 career meetings:

2016 BNP Paribas Open SF, hard, Djokovic d. Nadal 76(5) 62

Djokovic earned the opportunity to play for an unprecedented fifth BNP Paribas Open title after edging Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

In the pair’s 48th meeting – an Open Era record on the ATP World Tour – the Serb rallied from an early break down. He also fended off a set point on serve in the 10th game before getting the better of Nadal in the subsequent tie-break, clinching the opener as Nadal netted a backhand.

Djokovic made the decisive breakthrough in the sixth game of the second set, going up 4-2 as Nadal committed a forehand unforced error into the net. He then broke Nadal again in the eighth game to claim his 25th victory over his Spanish rival, converting his sixth match point. Despite the loss, Nadal said he gained confidence from playing Djokovic better than he has in their recent contests.

2016 Qatar ExxonMobil Open F, hard, Djokovic d. Nadal 61 62

Djokovic made sure the lone blip in his jaw-dropping 2015 campaign – a Doha quarter-final defeat to Ivo Karlovic – was a distant memory. The World No. 1 captured his sixth consecutive ATP World Tour title and 60th overall at the tour-level. He became just the 10th player in the Open Era to reach the 60-title milestone, drawing level with Andre Agassi in a tie for ninth.

After streaking to a 6-1 first set after just 31 minutes, Djokovic continued to apply pressure on Nadal, suffocating the Spaniard from the baseline with a ruthless display of aggression. He converted his third break point in the opening game of the second set and secured another break to all but seal the match at 4-1. He would wrap up the match after 73 minutes, striking a total 30 winners to just 13 unforced errors.

The Serb leads the historic FedEx ATP Head2Head for the first time at 24-23. He has now claimed 11 consecutive sets since Nadal prevailed in the 2014 Roland Garros final.

2015 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals SF, hard, Djokovic d. Nadal 63 63

Djokovic turned in a comprehensive performance in reaching a fourth consecutive final at The O2 in London, advancing to an 85th tour-level title match. 

Djokovic was on the attack immediately against Nadal’s own serve, pouncing on a short second serve for a return winner in the very first point and breaking to love for a quick 2-0 lead. The Belgrade native struck 12 winners and just one unforced error through the first three games. He was in control at the baseline, dictating play on his own terms and most importantly refusing to yield an inch on his own serve.

Patterns persisted in the second set, with Djokovic using his agility to stand tall on the baseline and he would break for 3-2 after a 25-shot rally. The Serb launched a backhand winner down-the-line on the run to give him his first match point at 5-3 and he would capitalise with another backhand winner – this time going cross-court.

With his consecutive finals reached streak up to 15 tournaments, Djokovic became the first player to claim 30 match wins against Top 10 opponents in a single season.

2015 China Open F, hard, Djokovic d. Nadal 62 62

Djokovic extended his run of dominance in Beijing to 29-0 with a gritty victory over Nadal in the final. It was the Serb’s seventh win over Nadal in their last eight meetings, a run that began at the 2013 China Open final. The World No. 1, who had already clinched the year-end top spot in the Emirates ATP Rankings, improved to a stunning 68-5 in 2015 and 23-4 against Top 10 opponents.

Djokovic would get off to a flying start in his quest for a sixth Beijing title, breaking immediately in the first game and again for 5-2 after turning aside a pair of break chances in the sixth game. Nadal would receive a visit from the trainer for an apparent leg ailment midway through the third game of the second set and Djokovic would pounce, breaking for 2-1. He did not look back, surging to the title after 91 minutes. The top seed struck 23 winners, including seven aces.

“This has definitely been my most successful tournament,” said Djokovic during the trophy ceremony. “Beijing has been a lucky place for me. In 2008, I remember the Olympic Games when Rafa won gold and the tradition of Asian tennis started here. I played a great tournament overall and continued playing well today. Rafa and I have played 45 times and I hope that continues.”

2015 Roland Garros QF, clay, Djokovic d. Nadal 75 63 61

On his seventh attempt, Djokovic finally dethroned nine-time champion Nadal on the red clay of Roland Garros, handing the Spaniard just his second loss in Paris and maintaining his hopes of completing the career Grand Slam.

In one of the most highly anticipated Grand Slam quarter-finals in history, Djokovic raced to a 4-love lead in the first set before sixth-seeded Nadal battled back to level the match. Despite the momentum shift, the Serb would find his footing to claim the first set in 67 minutes. 

Djokovic was dominant on his serve in the second set, claiming 16 of 18 straight service points, before eventually taking a two-set lead. He carried that momentum into the final set, limiting Nadal to just three total forehand winners and claiming victory in two hours and 26 minutes. 

2015 Monte-Carlo SF, clay, Djokovic d. Nadal 63 63 

DjokovicDjokovic reached his fourth Monte-Carlo by denying Rafael Nadal once again at the Monte-Carlo Country Club. Their 43rd meeting with a tale of the seventh game. Djokovic is now riding a 16-match winning streak and is on course to capture four straight ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles.

Nadal took a 2-0 lead at the start of the match, as Djokovic – the form player of 2015 – was tested, but regrouped to win three straight games. In an 11-minute seventh game, which saw Djokovic save one break, his greater weight of shots eventually over-stretched Nadal. Djokovic broke for a 5-3 lead, but Nadal battled throughout the 43-minute opener.

Djokovic playing on, or inside, the baseline, withstood a stern examination of his backhand, to create two break point chances in the opening game but he could not make a breakthrough. Nadal led 40/0 it 3-3, but was left to rue two forehand errors and a double fault as Djokovic went on to claim the 19-point game. Djokovic earned his 29th match win of the season with a backhand winner into space.

2014 Roland Garros, clay, Nadal d. Djokovic 36 75 62 64

Nadal prevented Djokovic from completing a career Grand Slam, as he retained his No. 1 Emirates ATP Ranking and became the first player in history to win nine titles at a major. He also drew level with Pete Sampras at No. 2 in the Grand Slam title-leaders list on 14 major crowns.

The Spaniard had lost eight of his past nine sets against Djokovic entering the Roland Garros final, and once again fell behind to start the match as Djokovic broke in the eighth game and survived a pair of break points. Though the winner of the first set had gone on to triumph nine times in their 11 previous Grand Slam meetings, a free-swinging Nadal drew level at a set apiece with a break and quickly raced out to a 3-0 lead in the third. The Serbian found renewed energy in the fourth set, recovering a break in the seventh game, but was unable to hold serve to stay in the match as he double-faulted on championship point.

2014 Internazionali BNL d’Italia Final, Rome, clay, Djokovic d. Nadal 46 63 63
Djokovic, NadalDjokovic pulled closer to Nadal in the battle for No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings by claiming his third Rome title and 19th at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level. It was the Serb’s second triumph over his rival in a Rome final, having prevailed in the 2011 title match.

Nadal entered their 41st encounter having spent over 10 hours on court through the semi-finals, but the seven-time champion showed no signs of fatigue in the early stages. He would surge to a double-break lead in the first set behind a ferocious offensive onslaught, and held on to take the opener in 46 minutes. In their previous 10 meetings, the player who had won the first set went on to win the match. Djokovic was ready to buck the trend, finding his range and rhythm in the second and third sets and turning the tables with a tenacious attacking display. He would hold Nadal to winning under 28 per cent of second serve points won for the rest of the match, firing return winners with ease and standing tall on the baseline. Djokovic’s 46 winners (including 15 from the backhand side) and six aces were too much for Nadal to overcome.

Read Matches 1-10 
Read Matches 11 to 20
Read Matches 21 to 30
Read Matches 31 to 40

FINAL PREVIEW: World No. 1 and four-time BNP Paribas Open champion Novak Djokovic takes on No. 12 seed Milos Raonic on Sunday in the championship. Djokovic has won all five previous meetings (13-1 in sets). This will be the second final between the two. In Paris-Bercy in 2014, Djokovic won 62 63. Their last meeting came in the QF at the Australian Open last year with Djokovic winning 76 64 62. Both players have dropped one set in five matches en route to the final.

Djokovic is attempting to capture a record fifth BNP Paribas Open title and record-tying 27^th career ATP Masters 1000 crown (w/Nadal). Djokovic has won his last 16 matches in Indian Wells and 15 in ATP Masters 1000 tournaments since his last loss in the 2015 Cincinnati final to Federer. The 28-year-old Serb is appearing in his 10^th straight ATP Masters 1000 tournament final he’s competed in (DNP ’15 Madrid) going back to 2014 Paris-Bercy. He’s 7-2 in Masters 1000 finals during that stretch. Djokovic comes into the final with a 21-1 match record on the season.

Raonic is appearing in his third career ATP Masters 1000 final (0-2) and 17^th overall (8-8) in his career. The 25-year-old Canadian is trying to become the first player born in the 1990s to capture an ATP Masters 1000 title. He was runner-up in Montreal in 2013 (l. to Nadal) and in Paris-Bercy in 2014 (l. to Djokovic). Raonic enters the final off to a career-best 14-1 start this season. He opened the year by winning the Brisbane title (d. Federer) and following with SF at Australian Open (l. to Murray in five sets).

WHAT’S AT STAKE:      

Winner                   $1,028,300 and 1,000 Emirates ATP Rankings points

Runner-up             $501,815 and 600 Emirates ATP Rankings points  

FINALS HISTORY:

Djokovic is bidding for a 27^th ATP Masters 1000 title (26-12) and 62^nd career title (61-26)
Raonic is bidding for a 1^st ATP Masters 1000 title (0-2) and 9^th career title (8-8)

DJOKOVIC EYES 5^TH TITLE: Djokovic is seeking a record fifth Indian Wells crown, having won here in 2008 (d. Fish), 2011 (d. Nadal) and 2014-15 (d. Federer).

TOP FIVE CHAMPIONS: In 14 of the past 15 years, a Top 5 player has emerged victorious at the BNP Paribas Open with 2010 champion Ivan Ljubicic the only exception. He was ranked No. 26. Djokovic is looking to extend the Top 5 streak with a title on Sunday. Djokovic is one of three active players (Federer-4, Nadal-3) who have won the Indian Wells title.

BIG FOUR DOMINANCE: The ‘Big Four’ of Djokovic, Murray, Federer and Nadal have won 48 of the last 52 ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, which dates back to Nadal’s triumph at Monte-Carlo in 2010. The only other players to emerge with an ATP Masters 1000 title are: Robin Soderling (2010 Paris), David Ferrer (2012 Paris), Stan Wawrinka (2014 Monte-Carlo) and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2014 Toronto).

FINAL FEDEX ATP HEAD 2 HEADS:

Djokovic Leads 5-0

Djokovic 2016 FastFacts

W (2): Doha (d. Nadal); Australian Open (d. Murray); QF: Dubai (l. to Lopez)

YTD W-L: 20-1 (20-1 on hard)

YTD Titles: 2 / Career Titles: 61

Date of Birth: May 22, 1987

Emirates ATP Ranking: 1 (Career-High)

Indian Wells W-L (Best Result): 45-6 (2008, 2011, 2014-2015 Champion)

• 2016 Indian Wells: Since losing 1^st set in opening match vs. Fratangelo, has won 10 sets. Avenged only loss of

season and did not face a BP in 63 63 win over [18] Lopez in 4R. Then beat [7] Tsonga 76(2) 76(2) in QFs and [4]

Nadal 76(5) 62 in SFs. Has won 16 matches in a row in IW since loss to del Potro in 2013 SFs

• Tournament Note: No. 1 or No. 2 in Emirates ATP Rankings each week since winning 2011 title and 190^th week at

No. 1 in career (89 straight weeks since July 7, 2014). Appearing in 6^th career final (4-1) and trying to become first

5-time winner in event history

• Enters with a 21-1 match record on season and looking to become first three-time winner in 2016

• In January, tied Emerson’s all-time record with 6th Australian Open title (d. No. 2 Murray)

• Moved into tie with Laver and Borg for 5th all-time with 11 Grand Slam men’s singles titles

• Won a 5-set match en route to title for 7th time at a major, overcoming 100 unforced errors in 4R (d. Simon)

• Captured 60th career title to start season at Doha, not dropping a set all week (d. No. 5 Nadal)

• Became 3rd active player to reach 700 wins by beating Jaziri in Dubai 2R on Feb. 24 (also Federer, Nadal)

• Fell 1 shy of Lendl’s Open-Era record 18 straight finals when eye problem forced ret in Dubai QF (l. to Lopez)

• Had not retired since 2011 Davis Cup SF vs. del Potro, a stretch of 350 matches (318-32)

• Defeated Nedovyesov in 3 sets and Kukushkin in 5 sets to help Serbia beat Kazakhstan 3-2 in Davis Cup 1R

• Appearing in 10^th straight ATP Masters 1000 final (DNP ’15 Madrid) going back to ’14 Paris-Bercy and has a 7-2

finals record during that stretch. Last year won a record six Masters 1000 titles. Overall is 61-26 in career finals and

26-12 in ATP Masters 1000 finals

Raonic 2016 FastFacts

W: Brisbane (d. Federer); SF: Australian Open (l. to Murray)

YTD W-L: 14-1 (14-1 on hard)

YTD Titles: 1 / Career Titles: 8

Date of Birth: December 27, 1990

Emirates ATP Ranking: 14

Indian Wells W-L (Best Result): 16-5 (2016 Finalist)

• 2016 Indian Wells: The 25-year-old Canadian is into first final and has won 10 of 11 sets, dropping only set in SF

vs. [15] Goffin 63 36 63. Saved 2 set points in 2nd set en route to 64 76(7) win over [6] Berdych in 4R and followed

with 75 63 victory over [13] Monfils on Thursday night. Last year (d. No. 3 Nadal in QF, l. to Federer in SF)

• Infosys ATP Scores & Stats: No. 2 in tournament with 41 aces (behind Isner 60) and No. 3 with 92% of service

games won (45 of 49), saving 5 of 9 break pts. Has 8.2 aces avg. compared to 15.5 on season. Has won 33% of

return games (16 of 48) and coming into IW had 15% career avg. (17% this year)

• Tournament Note: Saved 3 MPs to beat No. 3 Nadal 46 76(10) 75 en route to 2015 SF (l. to No. 2 Federer). His 16

match wins is most at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament

• Won 1st 9 matches of 2016 season, highlighted by 8th career ATP World Tour title at Brisbane (d. No. 3 Federer). Victory over Federer avenged loss to Swiss in 2015 Brisbane final

• Upset No. 4 Wawrinka in 5 sets en route to 2nd Grand Slam SF at Australian Open (l. to No. 2 Murray in 5 sets)

• Withdrew from Delray Beach, Acapulco and Davis Cup 1R due to adductor tear sustained in Australian Open SF

• Appearing in 17^th career ATP World Tour final (8-8), 3^rd ATP Masters 1000 final (’13 Montreal, l. to Nadal; ’14 Paris-Bercy, l. to Djokovic)

• Has a 20-42 career record vs. Top 10 opponents (3-1 this year) and 0-5 vs. No. 1s (3 vs. Djokovic, 2 vs. Nadal)

• Will improve from No. 14 in the Emirates ATP Rankings to No.12 by reaching the final (No. 10 if wins title)

OUTSIDE TOP 10 TO REACH FINAL: Raonic is the first player outside the Top 10 to reach the Indian Wells final since No. 11 Isner in 2012. He is trying to become the first player outside the Top 10 to win the title since No. 26 Ivan Ljubicic in 2010. Here are the players outside the Top 10 to reach the final since 2000 when the Indian Wells Tennis Garden was first introduced:

Year – Emirates ATP Ranking

2012 – No. 11 John Isner lost to Roger Federer

2010 – No. 26 Ivan Ljubicic defeated Andy Roddick

2008 – No. 98 Mardy Fish (u) lost to Novak Djokovic

2007 – No. 13 Novak Djokovic lost to Rafael Nadal

2006 – No. 14 James Blake lost to Roger Federer

2003 – No. 24 Gustavo Kuerten (u) lost to Lleyton Hewitt

2000 – No. 26 Alex Corretja (u) defeated Thomas Enqvist

Note: (u) Unseeded

YOUNG STARS ON ATP WORLD TOUR: Raonic leads a group of nine players born in the 1990s to win an ATP World Tour singles title. He’s trying to become the first player born in the 1990s to win an ATP Masters 1000 title.

Rafael Nadal lost to World No. 1 Novak Djokovic for the sixth time in the last 12 months on Saturday at the BNP Paribas Open. But Nadal still will leave Indian Wells in good spirits.

To the Spaniard, the mere fact that he’s consistently advancing deep enough into tournaments so that he can play Djokovic encourages him, Nadal said. “If I play against him it’s because I am in semi-finals and finals, so that’s very positive news,” Nadal said. “Even if I lose, [it’s] great news.”

Nadal, who fell to 12-5 on the year after losing to Djokovic in straight sets, will carry other positives with him from Indian Wells, he said. On Saturday, the Spaniard pushed Djokovic harder than he has in any of their recent contests. Nadal even had a chance to take the opening set at 5-4 on Djokovic’s serve, but the Serb erased the break point and went onto hold.

“I felt for a moment that I was competing at the highest level possible,” Nadal said.

A few mistakes at the tail end of the first set were the difference, he said. “I believe that with a little bit more of confidence with my forehand at the end of that first set [I’d have] a better chance,” Nadal said.

Nadal, who holds a record 27 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles, has thrown around “confidence” a lot during the past couple years. He’s struggled with injuries and with his belief. But the past two weeks should only help his confidence on the ATP World Tour and against Djokovic moving forward.

“I think I played well during the week. I won very interesting matches, good ones,” said Nadal, who fought off a match point to defeat Next Generation star Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals. “Today was closer than the last couple of times against the best player of [the] world, so was a very positive week for me.”

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will play for an unprecedented fifth BNP Paribas Open title after edging Rafael Nadal 7-6(5), 6-2 in Saturday’s semi-finals at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

The Serb will face Milos Raonic in Sunday’s championship match and has beaten the Canadian in all five of their previous meetings, only losing one set. This will be their first contest since the 2015 Australian Open quarter-finals.

The 28-year-old Djokovic improved to a 46-6 record at this ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament as he defeated Nadal in just under two hours on Stadium 1.

In the pair’s 48^th meeting – an Open Era record on the ATP World Tour – the Serb rallied from an early break down. He also fended off a set point on serve in the 10^th game before getting the better of Nadal in the subsequent tie-break, clinching the opener as Nadal netted a backhand.

Djokovic made the decisive breakthrough in the sixth game of the second set, going up 4-2 as Nadal committed a forehand unforced error into the net. He then broke Nadal again in the eighth game to claim his 25^th victory over his Spanish rival, converting his sixth match point.

Djokovic is looking to add to the Indian Wells titles he won in 2008 (d. Fish), 2011 (d. Nadal), 2014 (d. Federer) and 2015 (d. Federer); he also finished runner-up in 2007 (l. to Nadal).

The Belgrade native is chasing a record-equaling 27^th Masters 1000 crown. Last year he added six more to his collection, with victories in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Rome, Shanghai and Paris.

Three-time former champion Nadal was bidding to reach the final here for the fifth time. The 29-year-old Spaniard advanced to the semifinals after saving a match point against Next Generation star Alexander Zverev in the fourth round. He then defeated No. 6-ranked Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals for his first Top 10 win of the season.

SET 1

Novak Djokovic erased a set point and withstood some classic retrieving from Rafael Nadal to win the first set of their semi-final match at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday.

Djokovic, who was a down a break early in the set, recovered to win 7-6(5.) The World No. 1 has now won 12 consecutive sets against the Spaniard.

Nadal, though, hardly could have dreamed a better start to their record 48^th meeting.

The No. 4 seed held easily to start the match, and then broke Djokovic, who struggled to serve into the sun and grabbed a hat during the middle of the game. The break alone was a somewhat of a feat for Nadal. During their previous 54 games on hard courts, Nadal had broken Djokovic exactly once.

But Djokovic did not let the sentiment last long; he broke back the very next game to put the all-time greats back on serve at 1-2.

They stayed on serve until the tie-break, although both players had break opportunities later in the set. At 3-all, Djokovic had two break-point opportunities but Nadal erased them both. At 5-4, Nadal had a set point on Djokovic’s serve, but the Serb erased it and held.

In the tie-break, Djokovic held a 5-2 lead until Nadal roared back to make it 5-5. But the Serb won the final two points of the set.

China celebrated a milestone in men’s tennis last January when Di Wu became the first Chinese man to win an ATP Challenger Tour event, but Ze Zhang appears poised to soon join his countryman in the winner’s circle with his strong results over the past month.

The World No. 193 has reached two consecutive finals on the ATP Challenger Tour at events in Kyoto, Japan and Zhuhai, China. Zhang is now one match away from completing a hat-trick of finals appearances after advancing to the semi-finals this week in Guangzhou, China. The result is even more impressive considering that not only did Zhang prevail in matches played on outdoor and indoor courts due to rain, but he also bounced back quickly from a leg injury sustained during last week’s final in Zhuhai.

“The weather in Guangzhou has been difficult, but I know I have to deal with it and keep myself calm,” said Zhang. “I believe I can produce good tennis both outdoors and indoors.”

Having started the year ranked No. 239, the 25-year-old Zhang has already climbed more than 40 spots in the Emirates ATP Rankings and will jump even further on the back of his results over the past two weeks. He credited a decision to skip this year’s Australian Open with refreshing both his body and mind, enabling him to withstand a heavy schedule of Challenger events throughout Asia since then.

“My arm and shoulder were injured and I felt so tired inside. I think I needed a break to relax both my body and mind,” said Zhang. “I’ve been more focused on my game since coming back. I’m more mature this year, especially on the key points of the match. My coach has also given me lots of advice and I couldn’t do this without him.”

With four Chinese men currently ranked inside the Top 250 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, Zhang said he has been inspired by the results of his countrymen. He also cited Wu’s Challenger victory with providing him motivation to achieve similar results.

“I’m very happy for him. We need some players to stand out and create a good, competitive atmosphere so that we can push each other to do better,” said Zhang. “Wu’s win gave us confidence to do well and believe in ourselves. It’s all a good sign for men’s tennis in China.”

Zhang appears poised this year to break his current career-high ranking of No. 148, which he achieved in May 2013. But despite his strong results so far in 2016, he isn’t setting his sights on cracking the Top 100 just yet.

“I don’t want to think too much about this. I just want to focus on myself and keep making progress on a daily basis,” said Zhang. “When it’s time, the ranking will come to my side.”