Wawrinka navigates nerve-wracking test

Stan Wawrinka survived an almighty scare against lucky loser Yoshihito Nishioka before advancing to the quarterfinals at the BNP Paribas Open.

Nishioka twice served for the match in the third set but couldn’t complete the job, allowing the more aggressive Wawrinka – whose unforced error count reached the 50s – to win 3-6 6-3 7-6(4).

“I wasn’t playing great. I was not moving well at the beginning. I was a little bit hesitating with my game,” Wawrinka said.

“I think in general in the third set I played better than the two first sets … in general I was finding a little bit better my game. I was playing a little bit more aggressive. I was more calm, making more long rally.

“I’m really happy to get through for sure. You have to be a little bit lucky when he served twice for the match, but I’m happy to fight well enough to give me a chance to play tomorrow night.”

In the feature night match on Thursday, the No.3 seed will take on Dominic Thiem.

Thiem, seeded eighth, swatted aside Gael Monfils, who fell behind 4-0 in the second set in less than 15 minutes before going on to lose 6-3 6-2.

In a very different match, 17th seed Jack Sock scraped his way to a 4-6 7-6(1) 7-5 victory against Malek Jaziri in a match spanning two hours and 37 minutes.

It was the second straight epic for Sock, who the night before recovered from 4-1 down and four match points in the third set to beat Grigor Dimitrov.

Sock will next meet No.4 seed Kei Nishikori, who was the first player through to the quarterfinals after a commanding win over Donald Young.

Nishikori cruised to a 6-2 6-4 victory in just 77 minutes.

“He start playing much better in the second set, beginning of the second set. I think he was stepping in a little more. And, for me, I think I backed up a little bit,” Nishikori said.

“From the 4-1, I think I started playing much better, stepping in a little more and playing aggressive. And, you know I think it’s a little bit unusual, you know, to win the five games in a row, but first set I was playing great tennis.

“I’m very happy the way I’m playing right now.”

Setting up an all-Pablo quarterfinal were Carreno Busta and Cuevas, who won their matches on Stadium 2 on Wednesday.

After Carreno Busta beat qualifier Dusan Lajovic in straight sets, Cuevas upset 11th seed David Goffin 6-3 3-6 6-3.