Del Potro saves three MPs, outlasts Federer for first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells

In his 14th year on tour and having never previously won a Masters 1000 event, Juan Martin Del Potro’s first such title was never going to come easy. It came just about the hardest way possible on Sunday afternoon at the BNP Paribas Open.

Not only did Del Potro have to face world No. 1 Roger Federer, but the underdog also had to save three championship points along the way. He did just that, ultimately outlasting Federer 6-4, 6-7(8), 7-6(2) in an edge-of-your-seat roller-coaster that lasted two hours and 42 minutes.

At first it was Del Potro’s turn to finish off the match in relatively straightforward fashion. The Argentine, whose haul of 21 career titles included the 2009 U.S. Open but nothing else above the 500-point level, took the opening set thanks to one break of serve and got a look at two break points in the first game of the second that would have given him complete control. A tiebreaker eventually had to decide the middle frame, during which Del Potro earned a championship point at 8-7. The 29-year-old struck a solid return and soon got a look at what by his standards was a routine forehand, but he tightened up and dumped it in the net. Federer promptly seized the next two points, as well, to force a third in dramatic style.

The decisive set was a spirited one, with both players frequently incensed by a boisterous crowd and chair umpire Fergus Murphy’s perceived inability to do anything about it. Federer also nailed Del Potro with short backhand late in the match, which resulted in a steely glare but no kind of escalation beyond healthy competitiveness.

It appeared to be all over for the world No. 8 when Federer broke at 4-4 and served for the match. The 20-time Grand Slam champion and 27-time Masters 1000 winner even had match points at 40-15, 40-30, and ad-in but failed to capitalize on any occasion. Thrown a lifeline, Del Potro made the most of his opportunity to get back in it and converted a break point with a massive forehand.

Two routine holds later, another ‘breaker was required.

With momentum in hand, Del Potro surged to a 5-0 advantage and never looked back. He converted a third championship point of his own when Federer sent a forehand well over the baseline.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK1–vyp8ww

The loss marked Federer’s first of 2018, having previously been 17-0 with titles at the Australian Open and in Rotterdam. Del Potro, who will climb to  No. 6 in the world on Monday, is now 17-3 this year with two titles (also in Acapulco) and a runner-up performance in Auckland. He has won 11 matches in a row.

“It’s so big,” Del Potro said of the second biggest title of his illustrious but injury-plagued career. “I cannot believe I won this tournament, beating Roger in a great final and level of tennis. We played great tennis today.”

“I lost my serve a little bit (at the end), and then he was clean and I wasn’t,” Federer explained. “And then it goes very quickly in the ‘breaker. As close as [a match] can be, sometimes when you’re not feeling it or momentum has shifted it’s just crazy how it can go the other way. But I had already missed my opportunities [before the final tiebreaker]. Standing at the trophy ceremony, I think I would like to play that tiebreak again, because I don’t know what the hell happened.”

What happened was arguably the best match of the season between two players who have been the best on tour all season long.