Rafael Nadal was a player to beat in Indian Wells 2007, sailing past Andy Roddick in the semi-final to enter the title clash against Novak Djokovic. Kicking off the third straight season as world no. 2, Nadal lost in the Chennai semi-final and the Australian Open quarter-final to Fernando Gonzalez.
The Spaniard took a break and returned in Dubai as the defending champion. Mikhail Youzhny proved too strong in the quarter-final, and Rafa had to raise his level to stand a chance at the season’s first Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells.
Beating four rivals in straight sets, Nadal repeated the semi-final run from 2006 and faced the 3rd seed Andy Roddick in a battle for the first final in the desert. It was their third meeting and the second straight victory for Rafa, who produced a 6-4, 6-3 win in an hour and 14 minutes.
Nadal dominated on serve and stole Roddick’s serve three times to control the scoreboard and march into the title clash.
Rafael Nadal took down Andy Roddick in the 2008 Indian Wells semi-final.
Firing 33 winners and only 12 unforced errors, Rafa overshadowed Andy’s 22 winners and 15 mistakes.
The Spaniard earned ten break chances after taming the opponent’s second serve and moved a win away from his third hard-court Masters 1000 crown. The American fired a service winner for a hold at 15 in the encounter’s opening game, and the Spaniard landed a forehand winner in game two to level the score at 1-1.
Another booming serve secured the third game for Roddick before Nadal painted another direct point from his forehand to lock the result at 2-2. World no. 2 created three break chances in the fifth game and converted the last following Roddick’s volley error to grab a break and move 3-2 in front.
Rafa landed an ace down the T line for a hold at love in game six and a 4-2 advantage. Nadal landed another ace in game eight for 5-3 and held at 15 in game ten to wrap up the set, doing everything right so far. Rafa pushed hard on the return at the start of the second set and seized the fourth break chance with a forehand winner in the opening game for a set and a break advantage.
The Spaniard cemented it with a service winner in game two and took another step toward the finish line. Nadal hurled another forehand winner in the fourth game to remain in front and missed another opportunity on the return in the next one.
Rafa moved 4-2 up with an ace in game six and opened a 5-3 gap with a smash winner two games later. Nadal broke Roddick in game nine to advance into the title clash against Novak Djokovic.
