DOHA, QATAR - MARCH 13: Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia plays a backhand shot during The Qatar ExxonMobil final between Roberto Bautista Agut and Nikoloz Basilashvili on day six of Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2021 at Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex on March 13, 2021 in Doha, Qatar. Sporting stadiums around Qatar remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Mohamed Farag/Getty Images)
Nikoloz Basilashvili has made his first masters 1000 quarterfinal at Indian Wells, with his previous best result being a round four at Miami in 2019.
The Georgian bested his last effort when he defeated olympic silver medallist Karen Khachanov 6-4, 7-6.
The match lasted one hour and 55 minutes. Statistically both players were fairly even, but Basilashvili won more points on first serve and first serve return.
With this victory Basilashvili brings his record against Kachanov to an even 2-2, winning their last two meetings.
The 29-year-old is no stranger to the latter stages of tournaments, having won three ATP500 tournaments and two ATP250s this year, but this is his first quarterfinal in a masters 1000.
Basilashvili will play No. 2 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas next.
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