INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Ivan Ljubicic rode his big serve to a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1) victory over defending champion Rafael Nadal and a berth in the BNP Paribas Open final.
The Croatian served 17 aces Saturday — giving him 64 in the tournament — and overcame 51 unforced errors in ending a five-match losing streak against the world’s third-ranked player.
Ljubicic will play either No. 6 seed Robin Soderling of Sweden or seventh-seeded American Andy Roddick in Sunday’s final. Soderling and Roddick met later in the other semifinal.
Ljubicic upset second-ranked Novak Djokovic in the round of 16 and is in position to win an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time after three runner-up showings, the last in 2006 at Miami.
