Murray/Venus Hold Nerve For Quarter-Final Spot In Indian Wells
Jamie Murray and Michael Venus kept their cool under pressure on Sunday to clinch a quarter-final place at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
Murray and Venus delivered a dominant Match Tie-break showing to complete a 3-6, 7-6(3), 10-6 third-round win against Daniel Evans and John Peers. Despite falling behind early against Great Britain’s Evans and Australia’s Peers, Murray and Venus kick-started their charge to victory by winning six of the final seven points in the second-set tie-break on Stadium 6.
The British-New Zealand pairing then charged to a 4/0 lead in the Match Tie-break, one that ultimately proved unassailable as they completed the win in 99 minutes. With the win, Murray and Venus improved their record for 2023 (their first season together) to 10-5. The pair lifted its maiden ATP Tour title as a team in Dallas in early February.
In the quarter-finals, Murray and Venus will attempt to maintain their good form against top seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski or Frances Tiafoe and Stan Wawrinka.
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Also on Sunday, defending champions John Isner and Jack Sock enjoyed a more straightforward path to the last eight in the California desert as they downed Kevin Krawietz and Fabrice Martin 7-6(8), 6-4.
Home favourites Isner and Sock, who lifted the trophy in Indian Wells in 2018 as well as last year, saved all three break points they faced in their 91-minute triumph. Their quarter-final opponents will be Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini or Austin Krajicek and Mackenzie McDonald.
Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov advanced to the quarter-finals via walkover after their third-round opponents, Lucas Miedler and Cameron Norrie, withdrew. The Canadian duo will take on Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden in the last eight.
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