INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Novak Djokovic continued his recent mastery of Rafael Nadal on hard courts, winning 7-6 (5), 6-3 on his sixth match point Saturday to reach the BNP Paribas Open final for the second straight year.
The world's top-ranked player will meet Milos Raonic in Sunday's final, with Djokovic trying to win a record fifth title in the California desert.
Djokovic extended his advantage over Nadal on hard courts to 18-7, winning the last seven times since the Spaniard beat him in the 2013 U.S. Open final. The Serb also owns a 25-23 edge in the longest running rivalry in the Open era, having won six straight meetings and 10 of the last 11.