Australian Open champion Roger Federer beat Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 7-5 to win his fifth Indian Wells title on Sunday. In an all-Swiss final, Federer won the first set with ease as Wawrinka failed to read the Federer serve. However, in the opening game of the second set, Wawrinka broke Federer for the first time in the tournament and raced to a 2-0 lead. However, Federer upped the ante towards the end winning three games in a row to bag the title.
This was Federer’s 90th career title and in 2017, Federer has won 13 of the 14 matches he has played in. Six of those wins have come against top-10 players. Federer also became the oldest champion in the tournament’s history, surpassing Jimmy Connors, who was 31 when he won in 1984. This was the 23rd meeting the duo with Federer winning 20 times.
“This has been a fairy tale week,” said Federer. “It’s a beautiful feeling. Maybe it’s not as surprising as Australia but it’s still great to back it up by winning in Amercia. It’s a dream start to the year. I have totally exceeded my expectations. It’s been an unbelievable start to the year.”
Vesnina wins
In an all-Russian women’s final, Elena Vesnina beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-7 (6-8), 7-5, 6-4 to lift the title. In a match that lasted for over three hours, Vesnina fought back from a set down to win a thrilling contest. She was 4-1 down in the second as well before she staged one of the most memorable comebacks in the tournament.