Puffer jackets in the desert? Taste of Tennis served up delicious eats (and plenty of style) in Indian Wells

Not only did he and his partner Neal Skupski outlast Jack Sock and Jackson Withrow in a third-set tiebreak thriller to reach the semifinals, but he and Bethanie Mattek-Sands remained on course for a mixed doubles title defense. Those two knocked off the No. 3 seeds, Rajeev Ram and Samantha Stosur, in straight sets to become the tournament’s first finalists. For Mattek-Sands and Murray, the win marked their third in a row against a seeded team.

The second Thursday of the tournament has traditionally become a big day for doubles and this year is no exception. Here’s a look at the matches.

Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos (8) vs. Kevin Krawietz/Andreas Mies (12)

Despite their positions among the seeded teams and the fact that they both have won huge titles this season, this is still a rather unexpected matchup. Granollers and Zeballos are proving that their win in Canada—the first time they played together—was no fluke, while Krawietz and Mies, who endured months of misery after winning the French Open, appear to be back on track. It’s a fairly even matchup: Aside from Granollers, the other three are having career years.

Juan Sebastian Cabal/Robert Farah (1) vs. Jamie Murray/Neal Skupski (15)

It’s a rare feat for a top seed to sneak through a tournament, but that appears to be the case with “Colombian Power,” who’ve actually only dropped one set through their first four matches.

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Will Murray and Skupski have enough gas left in the tank—physically and emotionally—after that quarterfinal battle? Cabal and Farah could be well positioned for their second consecutive Grand Slam final.

Victoria Azarenka/Ashleigh Barty (8) vs. Viktoria Kuzmova/Aliaksandra Sasnovich

Singles didn’t go as hoped for this year in New York for Azarenka and Barty. However, the former world No. 1s have put their energy into doubles, and will be coming into this match fresh off some big wins, having beaten the top seeds Kristina Mladenovic and Timea Babos in the quarterfinals, and “Team McCoco”—Cori Gauff and Caty McNally—in the prior round. Kuzmova and Sasnovich have a couple of victories against some big teams, too, and will be looking to keep their own momentum going.

Follow Van on Twitter: @Van_Sias

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