TENNIS – Roger Federer started his Indian Wells with a comfortable 6-4 6-2 win over World Number 63 Diego Schwartzman in just 63 minutes. Stan Wawrinka was upset by World Number 104 Robin Haase who prevailed in three sets with 6-3 3-6 6-3. Grigor Dimitrov battled past Nick Kyrgios with 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 7-6 (7-4) Diego Sampaolo
Roger Federer did not face any break points in the whole match and broke serve in the third game for 2-1 in each set to clinch his second win in two head-to-head matches over Schwartzman. In the third round Federer will take on Italian Andreas Open who upset the Swiss Maestro in the third round at this year’s Australian Open. Seppi beat Victor Hanescu 6-4 6-4.
“I am looking forward to playing against Andreas. It was very disappointing to lose against him. I hope it will be better next time”, said Federer.
World Number 104 Robin Haase upset Stan Wawrinka with 6-3 3-6 6-3. The 2014 Australian Open champion has never played well at Indian Wells and today he confirmed his problems to adapt to the conditions in the Californian desert where he has never advanced from the quarter finals in 8 appearances at Indian Wells. Haase got a double break for 4-3 and 6-3 in the opening set. Wawrinka fought back winning the second set with 6-3 thanks to two breaks of serve for 4-3 6-3. However, the Lausanne star was not able to convert on a break point chance at 3-2 in the third set. Haase got the break in the seventh game for 4-3 and held serve in the next game to seal the win after 108 minutes. Haase will face Lukas Rosol who beat Martin Klizan.
“I played a bad match and I made too many mistakes. It’s frustrating to be knocked out so early in the first Master 1000 of the season. The positive aspect is that I have more time to prepare for Miami”, commented Wawrinka after losing his third match of the year.
Rafa Nadal started his Indian Wells campaign with a 6-4 6-2 win over Igor Sijsling. Nadal won 96 percent of his first serve points and dropped just seven points on his service games. The three-time Indian Wells champion fended off the only break point he faced.
“I won a good percentage of points on serve. I moved myself a little bit quicker tonight than what I was doing one month ago”, said Nadal.
In the third round Nadal will take on Donald Young who converted on four of his 11 break point chances to edge Jeremy Chardy with 6-4 6-2.
Grigor Dimitrov battled past Nick Kyrgios with 7.6 (7-2) 3.6 7-6 (7-4) after two hours and 10 minutes in the clash between two of the most talented players on the circuit.
Kyrgios was affected in the final part of the match by an ankle injury when he took the break lead in the third set. The opening set came down to the tie-nreak where Dimitrov got a mini-break to pull away to 4-1 before clinching the first set with 7-2. In the second set Kyrgios converted on his second break point chance at 4-3 and closed out the second set with his seventh ace with 6-3. Dimitrov had to save two break points at the start of the third set. Kyrgios got the break at 4-all but he fell on his left ankle and injured on his ankle. Dimitrov broke straight back to draw level to 5-5. In the next two games both players held their serve and the match came down to the tie-break where Dimitrov easily won with 7-4on his second match point.
Milos Raonic, who reached the quarter final in 2014 at Indian Wells, scored a 6-3 6-4 win over Simone Bolelli, who upset the young Canadian lsst month in Marseille.
Raonic converted his only break point chance in the opening set. He got the break on his second break point chance in the ninth game of the second set. On the contrary Bolelli did not earn a single break point
Raonic will take on Aleksander Dolgopolov who beat Santiago Giraldo 6-1 7-6 (7-4) after winning 92 percent of his first serve points.The Ukrainian player won the sixth of his last seven matches at Indian Wells and reached the semifinals last year.
Dolgopolov broke serve twice in the first set to cruise to 6-1. He hit 19 winners and won 94 percent of his first serve points. The second set was hard-fought and came down to the tie-break which Dolgopolov clinched with 7-4.
Tomas Berdych cruised past Sergiy Stakhovskiy 6-1 6-4 and will face Steve Johnson in the third round.
James Sock fought back from a set down and fended off one match point to battle past Gilles Muller with 3-6 6-3 7-6 (9-7) after two hours and 23 minutes. Sock will face Roberto Bautista Agut who beat Denis Istomin 6-4 6-3.
