Indian Wells: Roger Federer eye semi-final berth

Image Courtesy: Twitter/@AustralianOpen

20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will continue his quest for a record sixth title at the BNP Paribas Open when he squares off with Polish Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter-finals of the tournament in California on Friday. 

The 27-year-old Swiss star had earlier continued his rich vein of form as he eased past British player Kyle Edmund 6-1, 6-4 in a one-sided clash that lasted just a little over an hour to book his place in the last-eight of the tournament.  

For the first time, Federer will now be up against  Hurkacz, who bounced back from a set down to clinch a 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3 win over Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov in the round-of-16. 

Ahead of the clash between the two, Hurkacz said that it was his dream since childhood to play against his idol Federer. 

“[It] was my dream since I was a child. That's the greatest thing that can happen to a tennis player, playing on the big stadiums, big events against big players…. Especially here in the quarter-final is something special for me, "the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) quoted Hurkacz as saying. 

It is to be noted that Federer--who has won five times at the Indian Wells--has not dropped a set in the three matches he has played so far. 

If Federer manages to win the match against Hurkacz, the Swiss star will be on course for a mouthwatering semi-final clash against his long-time rival Rafael Nadal in the tournament.