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SPORTS Thursday 16 March 2017

Federer beats Nadal, Djokovic
finally loses at Indian Wells

BETH HARRIS his serve, he’s able to play
AP Sports Writer much more relaxed.”
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) Nadal wasn’t too shabby
— Roger Federer defeat- either, serving three love
ed Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-3 games. But Federer’s sho-
at the BNP Paribas Open tmaking was superb, fre-
on Wednesday in a fourth- quently kissing the lines off
round match that saw the both sides. The four-time
longtime rivals meeting Indian Wells winner was
much earlier in a tourna- crafty, too. Leading 5-1, Fe-
ment than usual. derer moved in quickly on
Federer broke Nadal four Nadal’s second serve, sur-
times in advancing to the prising the Spaniard, whose
quarterfinals in just over an forehand sailed long. Fe-
hour. Although Nadal owns derer’s drop shots were
a 23-13 lead in their series, well-timed and even when
Federer has won the past a scrambling Nadal got to
three in a row, including them in time, Federer an-
an epic comeback in the swered with one of his 26
Australian Open final two winners.
months ago. The two superstars hadn’t
Federer broke Nadal to played each other be-
open the match in front of fore the quarterfinals of an
a packed Stadium 1 crowd. event since 2004 when they
Federer faced just one met in the third round at Mi-
break point on his serve in ami. Wednesday’s match
the match, but he recov- was just the fifth time they
ered with a big serve and weren’t opposing each
two winning backhands to other in a final. Roger Federer, of Switzerland, returns a shot against Rafael Nadal, of Spain, at the BNP Paribas
Open tennis tournament, Wednesday, March 15, 2017, in Indian Wells, Calif.
go up 2-0 in the first set. Another one of tennis’ Big Associated Press
“The main thing he take Four went down, too.
the break in the first game, Novak Djokovic’s 19-match Djokovic, Federer and time in two weeks, having it’s a gamble,” Djokovic
and I had break point in winning streak at the desert Nadal were all in the same earned a straight-set vic- said. “On his first serves, to
the next game and come tournament ended in a 6-4, quarter of the draw, ensur- tory over the world’s No. try to anticipate and read
back and he had a good 7-6 (3) loss to Nick Kyrgios. ing the tournament would 2 player at Acapulco on his serve, where he’s go-
serve,” Nadal said. “When Djokovic joined Nadal and lose some of its biggest March 2. “Conditions like ing to go 140 miles per hour
Roger has the advantage, top-ranked Andy Murray, names before the second today where the ball trav- down the T and also pretty
his serve is so good, he has who was upset in the sec- weekend. Kyrgios beat els through the air very fast good angle wide, it’s hard
a lot of confidence with ond round. Djokovic for the second and it bounces very high, to position yourself well.”q