Wawrinka, Thiem cruise as Berdych bows out
Tomas Berdych exited the BNP Paribas Open as Stan Wawrinka and Dominic Thiem enjoyed relatively comfortable wins.
Stan Wawrinka and Dominic Thiem were largely untroubled at the BNP Paribas Open, but Tomas Berdych crashed out in the third round.
The third-seeded Wawrinka was too good for Philipp Kohlschreiber at Indian Wells on Monday, winning in straight sets at the ATP 1000 event.
Thiem was even more comfortable, the Austrian needing less than an hour to brush past Mischa Zverev and reach the last 16.
However, Berdych was eliminated, coughing up a lead to go down to lucky loser Yoshihito Nishioka.
WAWRINKA BEATS KOHLSCHREIBER AGAIN
Wawrinka made it five wins from as many meetings with the German, recording a 7-5 6-3 victory.
All the Swiss needed was a break in each set, with Kohlschreiber unable to set up a break point throughout his 77-minute loss.
EASY FOR THIEM
Thiem, the world number nine, took just 58 minutes to crush Zverev 6-1 6-4.
Zverev put in 54 per cent of first serves and it proved costly as he was broken three times.
He also struggled against the Thiem serve, winning just eight return points in a comprehensive defeat.
BERDYCH BOWS OUT
Berdych was up a set and 5-2 before falling apart to lose to Nishioka 1-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.
Nishioka broke twice and saved a match point to force a tie-break before closing out his win.
MONFILS, GOFFIN ADVANCE
Gael Monfils was too good for 2012 runner-up John Isner 6-2 6-4 and David Goffin overcame Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6 (7-3) 6-4.
Pablo Cuevas brushed past Fabio Fognini 6-1 6-4, Dusan Lajovic saved a match point to edge Andy Murray's conqueror Vasek Pospisil 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 7-5 and Pablo Carreno Busta was the beneficiary of a walkover from Roberto Bautista Agut.