Nadal, Roddick, Ljubicic Headline Indian Wells Play Thursday

Of the remaining quarterfinalists, only Nadal (six), Roddick (four) and Haas (one) have captured an ATP Masters Series title in their career. In addition, five players – Djokovic, Haas, Murray, Nadal, and Roddick have yet to drop a set in their first three matches.

In the first quarterfinal on Stadium 1, Chela and Nadal meet for the third time (tied 1-1). In their last meeting in the first round of ATP Masters Series Cincinnati in August 2004, Chela prevailed 64 46 76(3). Nadal won the first match in Stuttgart on clay in July 2004.

Nadal has won 15 straight against Argentines since his last loss to Gaston Gaudio in the quarterfinals of Buenos Aires in Feb. 2005.

Nadal, 20, is off to a 12-4 start this year and he is trying to win his first title since Roland Garros last June (d. Federer). His last final came at Wimbledon in July (l. to Federer). His best result this year was a semifinal at Chennai in January (l. to Malisse). Nadal has a career mark of 9-2 here, reaching the semifinals last year (l. to Blake).

Chela enters with a 17-4 match record on the season, including an eight-match winning streak after capturing his fourth career ATP title in Acapulco two weeks ago (d. Moya). The 27-year-old is looking to reach his first career ATP Masters Series semifinal. This is his sixth AMS quarterfinal.

In the second quarterfinal under the lights, Roddick takes a 6-3 lifetime advantage against Ljubicic. The American won their last meeting in three sets in a round robin match at the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai last November.

Roddick, 24, has yet to face a break point in his first three matches and has fired 48 aces. He is off to a hot start this year (17-3), finishing as runner-up in Memphis last month (l. to Haas) and making the semifinals in his other two events, at San Jose in February (l. to Murray) and at the Australian Open in January (l. to Federer). Roddick has a 15-4 career mark at Indian Wells, reaching the semifinals in 2005 (l. to Hewitt).

Ljubicic, who turns 28 next Monday, is off to a 17-5 start this year. He won his seventh career ATP title at Doha in January (d. Murray) and was runner-up last month at Zagreb (l. to Baghdatis) and Rotterdam (l. to Youzhny). He has a career record of 8-4 here, reaching the quarterfinals last year (l. to Federer).