Wawrinka Feeling Positive About Indian Wells Start

Third seed Stan Wawrinka defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-5, 6-3 on Monday to reach the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

Wawrinka stayed perfect against Kohlschreiber, improving to 5-0 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. The third seed created 10 break points, converting two of them for victory in 78 minutes and finishing with a trademark backhand winner on the line. “It was a really good match. I’m very happy… I was serving well. I think I’m moving better and better, and it’s all positive so far,” Wawrinka said.

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The Swiss star is bidding to win his second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown, adding to his 2014 Monte-Carlo title. Wawrinka’s best result at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden is a pair of quarter-final showings in 2008 (l. to Djokovic) and 2011 (l. to Federer).

The 31-year-old Wawrinka, who reached the Australian Open semi-finals at the start of the year (l. to Federer in five sets), goes on to face lucky loser Yoshihito Nishioka, who saved one match point to upset Tomas Berdych.

“I know how he’s playing – more from the baseline, using his power. It’s going to be interesting,” Wawrinka said. “I never practise with him, so it’s going to be the first time we’re going to be against each other. So I’m sure it’s going to be a good match.”

Belgium’s David Goffin edged Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6(3), 6-4 in one hour and 38 minutes, saving five of the seven break points he faced in the pair’s first meeting. The 26-year-old Goffin, who made his Top 10 debut last month, improved to 15-5 on the season.

The right-hander was a quarter-finalist at the Australian Open (l. to Dimitrov) before finishing runner-up in Sofia (l. to Dimitrov) and Rotterdam (l. to Tsonga). Goffin, a semi-finalist in the desert last year (l. to Raonic), goes on to face Fabio Fognini or Pablo Cuevas.