Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal remained on course for a mouthwatering semi-final clash at the BNP Paribas Open, with straightforward fourth-round victories in the California desert.


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Federer needed just over an hour to dispatch Briton Kyle Edmund 6-1, 6-4 in their first career meeting and reach the quarter-finals on a sunny and breezy day in Indian Wells. 


Next up for the 20-times Grand Slam champion is another unknown competitor in Pole Hubert Hurkacz, who defeated Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3 earlier in the day to set up his first career meeting with the Swiss legend.


Nadal, a 17 time Grand Slam winner, ruthlessly put an end to Serbian qualifier Filip Krajinovic's run at the tournament, converting three of his four break point opportunities to advance 6-3, 6-4. 


Neither Federer or Nadal have dropped a set in their three matches at Indian Wells, a tournament Federer has won five times and Nadal three. 


In other fourth-round action, hard-hitting Canadian Milos Raonic saved all three of Jan-Lennard Struff's break point opportunities to down the German 6-4, 6-3. 


The 13th seed will square off against either France's Gael Monfils or Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber in the quarter-finals on Friday.