NOVAK “NOLE” DJOKOVIC, RAFAEL “RAFA” NADAL, & “ROGI” ROGER FEDERER ALL IN SAME END OF BNP PARIBAS TENNIS DRAW IN INDIAN WELLS CALIFORNIA

Written by: Staff on 7th March 2017

Tennis Men Dubai Duty Free Championships

NOVAK "NOLE" DJOKOVIC, RAFAEL "RAFA" NADAL, & "ROGI" ROGER FEDERER ALL IN SAME END OF BNP PARIBAS TENNIS DRAW IN INDIAN WELLS CALIFORNIA

epa05823452 Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against Evgeny Donskoy of Russia during their second round match at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis ATP Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 01 March 2017. EPA/STRINGER |

Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer in same quarter of Indian Wells draw with Del Potro and Kyrgios

By Ricky Dimon

The BNP Paribas Open is just that for anyone not in the third quarter of the draw–open. To everyone in that third quarter: good luck!

Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Roger Federer of Switzerland during the Men’s Singles at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 29 January 2017. EPA/LUKAS COCH

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Juan Martin Del Potro, Nick Kyrgios, and Alexander Zverev all find themselves in the same section of the Indian Wells bracket. Djokovic and Juan Martin Del Potro are on a collision course for the third round, with the winner likely to face either Kyrgios or Zverev. A rematch of the Australian Open final between Nadal and Federer may take place in round four, although Nadal would probably have to get past fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in the last 32.

It goes without saying, therefore, that the rest of the draw is far less loaded. In the other section of the bottom half, Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic are the highest-ranked players. Two of the favorites to reach the semifinals, however, are Grigor Dimitrov and Jack Sock. Both Dimitrov and Sock–who would collide in round three if they make it that far–already own two titles apiece in 2017.

World No. 1 Andy Murray has to be loving his status at the top of the bracket. Murray’s relatively soft section is also home to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, David Goffin, and Roberto Bautista Agut.

Stan Wawrinka and Dominic Thiem headline the second quarter. Both Wawrinka and Thiem have been wildly inconsistent for much of the last half year, so the door may be open for a challenger like Gael Monfils, Tomas Berdych, or John Isner. Monfils and Isner, whose head-to-head contests always seem to produce plenty of entertainment, could face each other once again in the third round.

Isner’s good friend and fellow American Sam Querrey is coming off a surprising title in Acapulco, where he upset Goffin, Thiem, Kyrgios, and Nadal in succession to lift the trophy. Querrey awaits either Donald Young or Stefan Kozlov in his opening match.

Among the other American entrants are Steve Johnson, Frances Tiafoe, and Taylor Fritz. Johnson is in the proverbial “Group of Death” and will open against either Kevin Anderson or a qualifier before a possible date with Federer. Tiafoe will kick off his campaign versus a qualifier, while Fritz is set to face Benoit Paire.