Juan Martin del Potro beat Roger Federer for the Indian Wells title. (Source: AP)
As they say, all things come to an end. Same will be said for Roger Federer’s unbeaten run in 2018 which was snapped by Juan Martin del Potro on Sunday at Indian Wells. With a 6-4, 6-7, 7-6 win in two hours and 42 minutes, Del Potro won his first ATP Masters 1000 title and picked up his first win over Federer in an ATP 1000 event. The Argentine saved three match points at a crticial juncture in the third set before cruising past in a one-sided tiebreak in the third set. On the other side of the court, Federer’s 17-0 record in 2018 drew to a close while Del Potro’s unbeaten run continued to reach 11 matches. With the win, Del Potro will move up to World No 6 – his best since February 2014.
Roger Federer vs Juan Martin Del Potro, Indian Wells Streaming: Federer vs Del Potro in the final of Indian Wells is scheduled to start at 1.30 AM IST on Monday, March 19. The men’s final will resume following the women’s final at Palm Springs. The tournament is being broadcast on Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD. It can also be live streamed on SonyLiv app.
Roger Federer vs Juan Martin del Potro score and Updates from Indian Wells:
And with that, we bid you a Good night (or good morning?). What a great day of tennis in Palm Springs. By the way, WTA draw conducted in Miami where Indian Wells winner Naomi Osaka has been drawn with Serena Williams in the first round. Sharapova in Indian Wells first round and Serena in Miami first round... Should be fun! Until then, ciao!
Del Potro on court: "I cannot believe that I'm here with this trophy. I was really hungry (for the win) after the second set. Finally I got this trophy."
Federer presented with the runner up trophy: "I had a great run again this week. We love coming here. ... There was not much in between us, but you (del Potro) deserve it. Enjoy the moment. I hope to see you next year"
Speaking to ESPN, Del Potro says: "I'm still shaking I'm so nervous. It was tough for me to keep fighting (after losing match point in the second). It's difficult to describe with words. It's like a dream"
A double fault gives Del Potro CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS! His second chance to close out the match. The backhand slice goes long and Federer saves one here. Federer sends his forehand long and DEL POTRO WINS! Saved three match points along the way. First Argentine to win at Indian Wells. Two hours and 42 minutes. Del Potro wins 6-4, 6-7, 7-6
Federer sends the forehand wide and Del Potro has a comfortable lead in the tiebreak. Another error from the Swiss. WOW. One way traffic!
Federer return on the Del Potro serve goes long. Easy start for the Argentine. Federer, then, on his serve with a double fault. Followed by Del Potro winner on the serve. Brilliant start
Federer holds serve and we go into a third set tiebreak!
Del Potro holds serve with some ease and now pressure on Federer to hold serve and force a tiebreak. Edge of the seat stuff in Indian Wells.
Del Potro came from the brink in that game to bring up break point before Federer stood tall at the net to kill off a volley straight into the Argentine's body. Federer then brings up another Championship point which Del Potro nullified with a forehand winner on the move. A mishit by Federer on the forehand brings up a second break point for Del Potro. HUUUUUGE FOREHAND WINNER from Del Potro to make it 5-5!! WHAT A GAME!
Del Potro with an error on the forehand and Federer has a little look in. 15-30. Del Potro shuts it down momentarily with a big forehand on a tame serve reply. 30-30. BIG RALLY! Both players going side to side from the back of the court before Federer brings Del Potro forehand with a drop shot and kills the point off with a volley winner. Break point. Neat serve and even on a low return, Del Potro makes most with a forehand winner to bring the game to deuce. Chip by Del Potro on the low Federer slice goes long and that's a second break point chance for the Swiss. Federer with a superb serve return, backhand and cross court. Del Potro stretches but can't get the ball over. BREAK!
Meanwhile, Federer goes about his serves with ease now. Far cry from the first set where he found it difficult to get things going. Backhand winners down the line certainly helping his cause.
Interesting debate on Twitter. Both Federer and Del Potro are players who get plenty of support from crowds wherever they play. Sometimes, the support is bipartisan, as is the case here and is hinged towards Federer. With both players complaining to chair umpire in the second set, or after, interesting to ponder over how players react to crowd.
Del Potro with a hold at love and third set staying on serve. A stat for the deciding set: Federer has played 48 deciders in finals. 24-24. And won six of last seven.
Federer with a forehand winner down the line to open things up on the Del Potro serve. Gorgeous return on the serve, Del Potro not in the point and Federer rounds off a forehand winner. 0-30. This time plenty of depth on the Del Potro forehands and Federer, moving to his left, couldn't give a reply to the ball to his right. WINNER! What a thumping drive from Del Potro down the line for a forehand winner. Plenty of zip and pace on it to make it 30-30. Federer nets his backhand and Del Potro gets a chance to hold. And he holds with a forehand winner after a big serve. Staying on serve in the third set.
Casual hold for Roger Federer. Drops one point in that service game. A simple serve out wide, opens the court up for a forehand winner. Easy as it goes. 2-2 in the third set
Del Potro holds. Getting the job done on serve but he looks increasingly agitated at the moment. Frustrated, possibly, with that opportunity lost in the tiebreak. Doesn't help much that he's facing someone who has immense support from the Indian Wells crowd and that could play a mental role too. For now, he holds serve to make it 2-1 in the third set
Roger Federer with lovely hands at the net to close out the game. Been really good at the net ever since his return from injury. Was good earlier, just been exquisite since. A big add to his game. Holds serve to make it 1-1 in the third set. Change of rackets after it.
Juan Martin Del Potro starts with a hold. Was 40-15 ahead before allowing Federer to claw back. Body language dropping as well. But in the end, gets the job done to hold serve. 1-0 in the third set
Ready for the third set. Del Potro serving first. Mini Federer is good to go. Is the daddy?
Roger Federer takes a rare toilet break. In the meanwhile, Del Potro lets the chair umpire know he is unhappy with the handling of the crowd. Both players have been unhappy with the chair umpire then. Meanwhile, Rohan who is in Miami is tuned in too!
SECOND SET TIEBREAK
RECORD: Delpo has won four of the last five tiebreaks against Federer
1-1: Federer nets the serve and staying on serve in the second set tiebreak.
1-2: Del Potro with an error on the Federer serve
2-2: Federer with a volley winner into open court
3-2 Federer: Del Potro with a huge serve for an ace. Federer reckons it was long. Challenges. But he's wrong. Right on the line.
Players change ends.
3-3: Federer well inside the court for the Del Potro second serve. Making his intent of attack very clear. And it pays off with a forehand winner deep on the Del Potro backhand. MINI BREAK!
4-3: Federer with a gorgeous slice down the line to leave Del Potro scramling even when it looked like he was out. Del Potro charges at the net but Federer with a forehand winner past him.
5-3: Del Potro with an error
6-3: THREE SET POINTS FEDERER! Second serve. Deep serve and Federer fails to return it. The Argentine probably noticing the positioning.
6-4: SET POINTS! Another deep serve and Federer with another no-return.
6-5: SET POINT FEDERER! Second serve. DOUBLE FAULT! The first serve was barely cms wide and Del Potro's challenge is bang on.
PLAYERS CHANGE ENDS.
7-7: Del Potro with a huge serve and it brings up CHAMPIONSHIP POINT.
7-8: CHAMPIONSHIP POINT FOR Del Potro. And he nets it. Forehand is shanked into the net.
8-8: Federer is full of movement and is all charged up now. Moves to the net on a decent backhand slice approach and Del Potro sends his forehand long.
9-8: SET POINT AGAIN! Federer with a brilliant backhand and keeps the point going. Del Potro moves to the net and sends his backhand volley long. FEDERER JUMPS IN CELEBRATION!
Del Potro once again serving to take this second set longer. Not much of a fuss in the end. Hold to love. And we go into the tiebreak!
Federer holds! Two big, big serves from 30-30 to hold serve, Attacking Del Potro, moving towards the net. Needing a volley winner on the first but not the second. Holds to make it 6-5 in the second set
Del Potro serving to stay in the second set:
0-15: Uh-oh! Been a rather poor day for Federer. Faltering on serve and making silly errors. Misses a simple backhand as it goes into the net.
15-30: But he comes back with a resounding backhand volley winner into open court. Del Potro with an error and two break points for Federer. First he's seen today.
15-40: BREAK POINT! Del Potro with a HUGE forehand winner near the baseline with Federer right there. Expected it to go out maybe but it landed in.
30-40: Federer misses his forehand. Sends it long and that's the second break point chance lost.
Deuce: ACE! What can one do, then?
Advantage Del Potro: Moving forehand, Federer with a side slice drop shot and Del Potro can't get it back. What control of the racket and focus on the ball. Back to deuce.
Deuce: Lovely play by Del Potro. Attacking and kills off the point with a backhand volley into open court after creating a vacant side of the field.
HOLD! Federer sends his forehand long and Del Potro survives two break points and the sternest pressure on his serve today. 5-5 in the second set
FEDERER HOLDS! Neither player buckling on serve, even as Juan Martin del Potro throws in a massive forehand winner past Federer. Big serve by Roger to hold serve and make it 5-4 in the second set
Crucial time for Federer to get an eye in. A break here could be a match changer...
0-15: Del Potro starts with an error on the forehand. Goes for too much and it sails long.
15-15: Del Potro with an inside out forehand winner to even things. Gets around for the ball and plays it into open court
30-15: Big serve on Federer's forehand, far too much angle on it to be returned
40-15: Huge serve on Federer's backhand this time and the slice attempt doesn't work out. Two game points
40-30: Federer not going away without a battle. Forehand down the line and Del Potro's desperate one handed backhand to get it back is not controlled.
GAME! Plenty of kick on the Del Potro serve and Federer's backhand return is into the tramlines to make it 4-4
Federer with an extraordinary miss after a massive forehand that kissed the line. Short reply from Del Potro, surprised how he got it back to be fair, and then Federer nets a simple forehand. Short and there to be dispatched but Federer misses. Been that kind of day for him. Almost second guessed himself where he wanted to go with that shot. In the end, went nowhere. Del Potro holds and it is 3-3 in the second set
Juan Martin Del Potro tries to get the break of serve with some big returns but Federer holds on after putting away an overhead. Federer up 3-2 on serve in the second set
Del Potro is blazing away on his serve.
ATP has the following stat: Six Service Games Played, Seven Points LostFirst-serve points won: 17/22 (77 per cent)Second-serve points won: 8/10 (80 per cent)Total service points won: 25/32 (78 per cent)
WHAT. A. RALLY! Both Federer and Del Potro pushing each other to all parts of the court. Federer stumbles, sends out forehand slices but Del Potro is far too good! Federer holds in the end and leads 2-1 in the second set.
ENJOY!
Another nervy serve for Federer. Del Potro has two break point chances but Federer roars back to save both of them on the back of some immaculate hitting. That was a big chance for Del Potro to start on a positive note in the second set. Big moment. Big opportunity lost?
Federer with 11 unforced errors in the first set to Del Potro's three. Winners pretty even (11-10) between the two finalists. Federer only dropping his fifth set this year and now for the second match running, he has to come from behind to win. Can he do it?
Del Potro has not missed at all in this opening set and takes it 6-4. Federer hasn't been bad, to be fair. Just went missing for four points in the first set and that's all that Del Potro needed to edge ahead. Wins the opening set in 34 minutes
A hold at love! Federer finally gets the easy service hold he desperately needed. Ace down the tee to hold. Leaving it up to Del Potro to clinch the first set. He leads 5-4
EASY PEASY! Del Potro with a hold at love and he goes 5-3 up in the first set. Now up to Federet o keep the first set going
Roger yet to get a good hold of his second serve. Del Potro has won five of the eight Federer second serves. The Argentine pushes the Federer serve once again but the Swiss prevails. Del Potro leads 4-3 in the first and up a break
Del Potro holds after being pushed by Federer. Taken to deuce before Del Potro produces a massive forehand winner (90mph) and then a strong groundstroke behind Federer that hits the top of the net. Consolidates the break in the process. Leads 4-2 in the first set
From ATP: Juan Martin del Potro is now the second player to face each member of the Big Four in an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final, joining David Ferrer.