Fish swims with top dogs at Indian Wells

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By Mark Lamport-Stokes

INDIAN WELLS, California (Reuters) - Unfancied American Mardy Fish joined elite company by upsetting seventh-seeded David Nalbandian of Argentina 6-3 6-7 7-6 in the Pacific Life Open quarter-finals on Friday.

Twice a winner on the ATP Tour, Fish reached the last four in the opening Masters Series event of the season along with the top three players in the world.

Fish will face Swiss world number Roger Federer in the second of Saturday's semi-finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden, after second-ranked Spaniard Rafael Nadal, the defending champion, has played third-ranked Novak Djokovic of Serbia.

"I guess the only thing you can go by is what your ranking is," 98th-ranked Fish told reporters after scraping past Nalbandian in a tight match lasting two hours, 45 minutes.

"I obviously don't feel like I'm the 98th-ranked player in the world or playing like that. I've got a lot of self confidence, and you have to out here to stick with some of these guys.

"It's nice to be in the same breath, although it's just one tournament. Hopefully I can use this result no matter how it ends, to keep moving on."

Fish, who rose to a career-high 17th in the rankings four years ago, will climb back into the top 50 on Monday having reached at least the last four at Indian Wells.

As for his chances on against Federer on Saturday, he accepts he faces an uphill task.

Fish has never beaten the Swiss in five meetings, and the top seed enjoyed the luxury of a walkover into the semi-finals when his quarter-final opponent German Tommy Haas pulled out with a sinus infection on Friday.

"Yeah, as if he needs any more ammo," Fish said with a broad smile. "We've all gotten walkovers and we've all been sick and we've all pulled out. But hopefully he'll be a little too rested tomorrow."

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