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Nadal sets up intriguing clash with Tsonga

— Photo: AP

IN SMASHING FORM: Jelena Jankovic was in her element during the third round encounter against Ai Sugiyama.

INDIAN WELLS: Defending champion Rafael Nadal defeated American teenager Donald Young 6-1, 6-3 to reach the fourth round of the Pacific Life Open where he has now won eight straight matches without dropping a set.

Nadal, the second seed, outplayed his 18-year-old opponent from the baseline, sealing victory in an hour and 22 minutes.

A sterner test for the Spaniard will come in the fourth round against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who had upset him in the Australian Open semifinals.

Two days after hitting no aces, Tsonga racked up 15 and broke French countryman Paul-Henri Mathieu in the last game to win 7-6(5), 6-4.

“In Australia, I had a tough loss but I’m going to try and improve this time,” Nadal said.

“It’s going to be important to serve well because he’s strong in his serve, and try to play a bit more aggressively from the baseline than in Australia.”

The third-seeded Serb Novak Djokovic also eased into the fourth round, crushing Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3 6-2, but the fifth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer was upset 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 7-6(3) by South Korea’s Lee Hyung-taik.

The eighth-seeded Richard Gasquet hammered Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina 6-2, 6-1 and will meet the ninth-seeded American James Blake. The American downed Carlos Moya 6-3, 6-4 to level their career meetings 6-6.

Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland dispatched Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus 6-3, 6-7(1), 6-0 in their first meeting.

In the women’s event, top seed Ana Ivanovic, former two-time champion Lindsay Davenport and the third-seeded Jelena Jankovic all progressed.

Serbs Ivanovic and Jankovic won in straight sets.

Ivanovic struggled to close out Italy’s Tathiana Garbin at the end of a 44-minute first set, then rolled on to a 6-3, 6-0 win to reach the fourth round for the third straight year. Jankovic routed veteran Ai Sugiyama 6-1, 6-1.

“I was very focused on the court, and I really tried to do my job out there,” Jankovic said. “I didn’t want to let her get into the match, so I was just playing one point at a time. Especially with the wind you really have to.”

Jankovic has reached the quarterfinals or better in her previous five tournaments this year and will next face Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues, who rallied from 0-5 down in the second set to defeat Russian qualifier Evgeniya Rodina 6-3, 7-5.

Davenport overcame six service breaks, 48 unforced errors and nine double faults to beat Chan Yung-jan of Taiwan 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.

“I’m happy to walk off the court playing the way I did in the last four games and taking the control back,” Davenport said. “I was just getting so frustrated in the second set. Next time, hopefully, I can keep my cool a little better.”

Davenport, who has reached the final six times here, lined up a fourth round match with the sixth-seeded Marion Bartoli, who struggled past Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-3, 7-6(3).

In the other third round encounters, Vera Zvonareva beat Galina Voskoboeva 6-0, 6-3 in an all-Russian match, while Francesca Schiavone kept her perfect record against fellow Italian Flavia Pennetta with a 6-3, 6-4 win.

Casey Dellacqua of Australia matched her surprising Australian Open performance by making the fourth round when Tamira Paszek of Austria retired ill. Dellacqua was ahead 6-1, 4-0 at that time.

Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles of Bahamas made it to the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Nikolay Davydenko of Russia and Nicolas Kiefer of Germany.

The sixth-seeded duo was never troubled and cruised home in straight sets.

Important results:

Men: Singles: Third round: Richard Gasquet bt Juan Ignacio Chela 6-2, 6-1; James Blake bt Carlos Moya 6-3, 6-4; Rafael Nadal bt Donald Young 6-1, 6-3; Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bt Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-6(5), 6-4; Stanislas Wawrinka bt Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 6-7(1), 6-0; Novak Djokovic bt Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-2; Lee Hyung-taik bt David Ferrer 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 7-6(3).

Doubles: Second round: Mahesh Bhupathi & Mark Knowles bt Nikolay Davydenko & Nicolas Kiefer 6-3, 6-4.

Women: Singles: Third round: Jelena Jankovic bt Ai Sugiyama 6-1, 6-1; Vera Zvonareva bt Galina Voskoboeva 6-0, 6-3; Marion Bartoli bt Angelique Kerber 6-3, 7-6(3); Lindsay Davenport bt Chan Yung-jan 6-4, 5-7, 6-2; Ana Ivanovic bt Tathiana Garbin 6-3, 6-0. — Agencies

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