Federer cruises and Nadal advances via walkover at Indian Wells

Indian Wells, CA – Second-seeded Roger Federer was an easy straight-set winner and former champion Rafael Nadal reached the fourth round without lifting his racquet at the $4.33 million BNP Paribas Open on Monday.

The former world No. 1 and reigning Wimbledon champion Federer needed only 61 minutes to send Croatian Ivan Dodig packing with a 6-3, 6-1 decision. Federer is the reigning Indian Wells champion and a four-time winner here.

Federer will take on Stanislas Wawrinka in the fourth round after the 18th- seeded Swiss earned a 6-4, 7-5 decision over two-time Indian Wells titlist and former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt.

The fifth-seeded Nadal was scheduled to meet Leonardo Mayer on Day 5, but the Argentine pulled out of their scheduled third-round match with a back injury on a day when an earthquake shook Southern California.

"I was very scared. First time in my life," Nadal said. "I finish the earthquake, and my legs were (trembling)."

The quake had an estimated magnitude of 4.7 on the Richter scale and the epicenter was about a dozen miles from the desert town of Anza, about 100 miles from Los Angeles.

The former world No. 1 and reigning French Open champion Nadal was the 2007 Indian Wells titlist and 2011 runner-up.

Up next for Nadal will be talented Latvian Ernests Gulbis, who stayed red-hot with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 come-from-behind victory over 20th-seeded Italian Andreas Seppi. Gulbis has won his last 13 matches, including qualifying ones in order to enter the main draw at Indian Wells. He was a titlist in Delray Beach, Fla. two weeks ago.

Sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych moved on by defeating 27th-seed German Florian Mayer, 6-4, 6-1 and is seeking a trip into a third final in his last three events. He will first need to get through Richard Gasquet, who he will face in the fourth round after the Frenchman ousted 24th-seeded Jerzy Janowicz, 6-1, 6-4.

Also on Monday in the California desert, tall South African Kevin Anderson handled Finnish veteran Jarkko Nieminen, 6-3, 6-1. To advance in fourth round play, he will have to defeat 13th-seed Gilles Simon, who bested French countryman Benoit Paire, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

The 2013 Indian Wells champ will collect $1 million.