Other seeds advancing were No. 17 Sam Querrey receiving a walkover against No. 14 Milos Raonic (strep throat), and No. 16 Andreas Seppi outlasting Thomaz Bellucci in three to set up a meeting against Murray.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic leads the field at the 2013 Miami Masters, who’ll be the winner in two weeks?

It’s a surprising final in Indian Wells featuring Rafael Nadal bidding for his first hardcourt title in 2.5 years against the slayer of Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, Juan Martin Del Potro.

Led by Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, It’s another top-heavy semifinal line-up at an ATP Masters event. Will it be Djokovic and Rafael Nadal or can DelPo or Berdych spoil the party?

After a year break, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal resume their rivalry for the 29th time Thursday night at Indian Wells.

“I should have won easier,” said the outspoken Latvian, who was also a qualifier in his previous event at Delray Beach where he ran all the way to the title. “I played better than him the first set. I played better than him the whole match, I think. It’s just that the first match just mentally I destroyed myself, and that’s what happened.”

Rafael Nadal makes his return to hardcourts Saturday at Indian Wells while Roger Federer opens his title defense.

Handicapping the Indian Wells field, will Djokovic continue to dominate or can someone stop the Serb for another “Desert Double”?

Berdych was up a break in the first, but after squandering it, delivered a choky double fault at 5-6 on break point to lose the set. In the second set Djokovic broke for 5-3 and rode it out to improve to 36-19 in career finals.

The Top 4 seeds including former champions Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are in the semifinals Friday in Dubai.