Del Potro saves match points to stun Federer for Indian Wells title

“I mean, everybody knows I was really close to quitting tennis before my third surgery on my left wrist”, said Del Potro after upsetting world No. 1 Roger Federer 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 7-6 (7/2) in Sunday’s championship match.

Federer had a chance to serve out the match, holding two match points, but del Potro staved off both to force deuce.

“I can not believe I won this tournament, beating Roger in a great final and this level of tennis”.

Federer managed to win the second set but lost the third, meaning he surrendered his Indian Wells crown to Del Potro.

“The people are screaming when I miss a first serve!” a filthy Del Potro yelled at Murphy in the second set as he demanded the official keep the crowd quiet.

Del Potro after winning the 2009 US Open over Federer, has had multiple wrist surgeries and didn’t know if he would ever play tennis again. I watched the match with Christopher Clarey, of the Times, dean of this era’s tennis writers, and at one point he turned to me and said, “Age doesn’t seem to affect reaction time”.

Defending champion Roger Federer may have reached the Indian Wells final for a fourth straight time (allowing for the fact he skipped 2016) but things had not gone all his way along the way. In the end I was lucky to win.

Del Potro’s success at Indian Wells comes nine years after his US Open title win over Federer and he intends to relish the moment before looking to his next goal. “I can see why he caused a lot of problems to a lot of players, and he’s only going to improve from here”.

The 29-year-old from Argentina handed Federer his first match defeat of 2018 and extended his own win streak to 11 matches, including a title run earlier this month at Acapulco. “I would like to keep surprising myself and see how far I can go”. She dropped only one set in the tournament.

“I don’t remember half of it”, said Federer. A cross-court forehand victor was followed by a backhand down the line to set up two break points and, feeling the pressure, Raonic double-faulted.

Del Potro wasn’t interested in folding, however, breaking Federer himself the next game.

The second was to retain the title he won in 2017 in the Californian desert and become the first six-time victor of the Indian Wells Masters.

“As close as it can be sometimes when you’re not feeling it or momentum has shifted, it’s just insane how it can go the other way”, said the Swiss.

I don’t want to get into the details.

Del Potro’s ranking is expected to climb two spots to No. 6, and he’ll take home $1,340,860 in prize money.

Known for her shyness, she was definitely more at home on the court than accepting her first trophy. But ultimately del Potro pulled off the victor, defeating the tennis legend in three sets, 7-5, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (2). Obviously, there is not too much time to dwell on it.

The 36-year-old Federer said he had to draw on every ounce of experience and mental toughness to pull out the match.