John G Mabanglo/EPA, via Shutterstock
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — The undercard became the main event at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Saturday.
The crowd arrived eager to watch Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal renew their rivalry, a few fans having paid dearly to secure a final-hour ticket to Stadium 1.
But Nadal, having tendinitis in his right knee, soon announced his withdrawal after testing the knee in a morning training session.
The only men’s semifinal to be played on Saturday at the BNP Paribas Open was between Dominic Thiem and Milos Raonic, and Thiem prevailed, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (3), 6-4, in a match of contrasting styles in which there was only one break of serve.