Indian Wells: Much like his career, Roger Federer's backhand too has changed gears

In the end, Roger Federer made easy work of Rafael Nadal winning their 36th encounter 6-2, 6-3 in 68 minutes to reach the quarter-finals at Indian Wells. But it was the way he went about doing so that has left a bigger impact on the outcome of the match than the result itself.

The Swiss’ win – the first time he has ever scored three back-to-back victories against the Spaniard – meant that he wouldn’t be considered the underdog in any of their potential matches henceforth. Majorly, however, his success made broader intonations about the turnaround his backhand had, from being his biggest vulnerability to the cornerstone of his triumph on Wednesday evening.

The volumes that the backhand spoke

Flashes of Federer’s brilliance from his backhand wing were seen in his Australian Open final against Nadal in January. In light of what transpired in the Californian desert, however, they seem to be the precursors to what was to come, in the days ahead.

From loping his backhand around the court, to zinging it down the line, Federer produced a master-class against the one rival who has ceaselessly tormented him on that front. For the first time in their nearly 14-year-old rivalry, Nadal looked bemused with nothing in his kitty of shot-making countering his opponent’s offensive. This never-before-seen element of hesitancy also affected Nadal’s rhythm all throughout the match.

A common thread in Federer’s contests with Nadal in the preceding years has been the older player taking an early lead in the opening set, only to fall behind once the Mallorcan adjusted his game. This time around, Nadal’s difficulty in getting a read on Federer’s game prevented him from taking the advantage back from Federer during clutch moments, as he has had never failed to in the years before.

Nadal’s sole break point in the match came in the second game of the first set after he had surrendered his opening game to the 18-time Grand Slam champion. Federer’s response not only saw him squash that chance, but also break the Spaniard once again in the set, and then twice more in the second set.

“When Roger has the advantage, his serve is so good, he has a lot of confidence with his serve, he’s able to play much more relaxed,” commented Nadal after the match, before zeroing down on the one aspect that had troubled him from the start of the match. “The worst thing in that match for me was from the beginning I was at a disadvantage with him breaking [in] the first game of the match, and then breaking [in] the second game of the second set. [It was] so difficult to play against Roger this way.”

If Federer continues to exercise this newfound intensity of his, there looks to be a change in the direction where the so-called Fedal rivalry seemed to be heading previously. Interestingly, though, observing this reinvented version of Federer at play also highlights another facet about the changes he has made to prolong his career.

The racquet that played its part

Each of Federer’s last three wins over the Spaniard have come since he shifted to a bigger racquet frame, before the 2014 season. The modification has seemingly helped Federer put forth a better showing on the court even as it taken out the skewed dimensions of forehand-to-backhand game-plan that Nadal zealously followed.

Speaking to the Tennis Channel post his win, Federer too noted the differences that had been brought about since he transitioned to a bigger racquet. “I think by coming over my backhand on the return from the get-go in the point, I can then start dominating the points from the start,” he said. “I used to shank balls often with my older racquet. But then again, it helped me a lot with my slice and forehand. I think my forehand was just unbelievable with my older racquet. But with this racquet, I can have a lot of easier power. I can come over my backhand without shanking as much and then I gain confidence. Once you get the confidence, then it’s easier to step in and once you step in, it’s easier to pull back again. And, I think that’s why it’s working so well.”

Thanks to this one win, Federer’s confidence seems to have reached a new high. While he has another tougher hurdle in Nick Kyrgios, who has defeated him in their only prior meeting, Federer’s not being overawed by his younger opponent. It may not be as easy as he found it against Nadal, but then Federer isn’t without a few tricks up his sleeve. Even if it means potentially producing a rerun of the much talked-about SABR.