INDIAN WELLS, California — Rafa Nadal produced vintage form against an out-of-sorts Roger Federer to crush the Swiss 6-4, 6-2 in their heavily anticipated quarterfinal at the BNP Paribas Open Thursday. The Spanish left-hander, competing in his first hardcourt event since returning from seven months on the sidelines with a knee injury, moved around the court well and outplayed his long-time rival at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Nadal broke the defending champion once in the first set and three times in the second to wrap up victory in one hour 24 minutes in front of a packed house at the Stadium Court. The Spanish world No. 5 improved his record against Federer to 19-10 and will next face sixth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych, who beat South African Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4 earlier in the day. “After seven months away, I am very happy to be in the semifinals here,” a beaming Nadal said courtside after taking advantage of a slew of backhand errors by Federer, who has been struggling with a back niggle throughout the tournament. “I played great the first set. I played a fantastic first set, in my opinion. The second set I think Roger didn't fight as usual. Probably he had some problems and he didn't feel comfortable enough to keep fighting. “But for myself I have to take the first set. The first set was a good match, my opinion. Both of us tried to play our best. I played much better than yesterday.” Asked what had pleased him most about his game, Nadal replied: “My movement tonight was much better than yesterday. I played longer than yesterday.” Asked how much of a problem his troublesome back had been against Nadal, Federer said it was the same as in the previous round against Stanislas Wawrinka. “I mean, I could play. I'm happy to be out there and able to compete, you know,” he said. “But it's obviously a small issue, and that doesn't work against guys like Rafa, obviously.” Earlier, Berdych, who has not dropped a set in his first four matches here, broke Anderson in the final game of both sets to seal his win in 90 minutes on a sizzling afternoon. The women's draw was hit with the injury withdrawals of defending champion Victoria Azarenka and No. 7 seed Sam Stosur Thursday. Azarenka was scheduled to play No. 8 seed Caroline Wozniacki in a quarterfinal that would have pitted two former top-ranked players against each other. But she withdrew with a right ankle injury. Stosur pulled out of her quarterfinal against No. 4 Angelique Kerber because of a right calf injury. Wozniacki and Kerber moved into a semifinal against each other. No. 2 Maria Sharapova and No. 13 Maria Kirilenko will play in the other semis. — Agencies
