Federer opens Indian Wells title defense with 2-day win
INDIAN WELLS, CA – MARCH 11: Roger Federer of Switzerland hits a shot during his match against Federico Delbonis of Argentina during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden of the Czech Republic on March 11, 2018 in Indian Wells, California. Adam Pretty/Getty Images/AFP
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Roger Federer completed a rain-delayed debut match at the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday with a 6-3, 7-6 (6) win over Federico Delbonis of Argentina.
On Saturday, Federer led 6-3, 2-2 when the match was delayed by a heavy drizzle 56 minutes after it began. Federer, who earned his fifth title at Indian Wells last year, saved a set point in the second-set tiebreaker and advanced to face Filip Krajinovic on Monday.
Marin Cilic, the 2014 U.S. Open champion who lost to Federer in the final of this year’s Australian Open, eased to a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Marton Fucsovics.
Taro Daniel, a 109th-ranked qualifier, upset five-time Indian Wells champion Novak Djokovic 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-1.
Djokovic was makings his first appearance since being stunned by Hyeon Chung at the Australian Open. Djokovic sprinted out to a 5-2 lead against the 25-yard-old from Japan, but his mistakes began to add up and he finished with 58 unforced errors.
It was the earliest loss for Djokovic at Indian Wells since a first-round exit in 2006.
“It felt like first match I ever played on the tour,” Djokovic said. “Very weird. I mean, I just completely lost rhythm, everything.”
Gael Monfils upset No. 15 seed and 2012 runner-up John Isner 6-7 (5), 7-6 (3), 7-5.
On the women’s side, top-ranked Simona Halep came back to top 19-year-old Caroline Dolehide 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 in just over two hours.
American Amanda Anisimova took down two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 6-2, 6-4 in a match lasting just over an hour to become the first 16-year-old to move into the fourth round at Indian Wells since Viktoriya Kutuzova in 2005.
“It feels crazy. I mean, I’m still in shock,” Anisimova said. “She’s the best player I have ever played, and it was the biggest court I have ever played on. So it was definitely nerve-wracking kind of, but I was enjoying it so much out there and I was playing my best. It was a good day.”
Former No. 1 and tenth-seed Angelique Kerber rallied past Ekaterina Makarova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 and Petra Martic upset last year’s French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 6-3.
