Push Admin

Tennis: Federer launches bid for sixth Indian Wells title

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/reuters/03/11/20190311-roger-federer.jpg"/><figcaption>Roger Federer (SUI) during his second round match against Roger Gojowczyk (not pictured) in the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports/Reuters</figcaption></figure></div>INDIAN WELLS -- Five-time Indian Wells champion Roger Federer thwarted a second-set challenge from Peter Gojowczyk to reach the third round of the ATP Masters event on Sunday with a 6-1, 7-5 victory.Fourth-seeded Federer, like top seeded Novak Djokovic gunning for a sixth ATP Indian Wells Masters crown, said he was relieved not to go to a second-set tiebreaker after falling behind 3-1 to the free-swinging German who is ranked 85th in the world.The Swiss regained the break and, after saving four break points to make it 4-4, he broke Gojowczyk for a 6-5 lead, the German double-faulting on break point to give Federer a chance to serve it out.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/tennis/news/2019/03/11/serena-williams-retires-viral-illness-indian-wells-54370">READ: Serena Williams retires with viral illness at Indian Wells</a></li></ul>&quot;The second set I think he saved some crucial break points with good serving. I think his serve really picked up.&quot;I struggled a little bit with my serving in that second set and that gave him chances. Because he was serving better he started to swing more freely and then it was tough.&quot;I&#x27;m really happy I found a way in that second set.&quot;Federer could find himself fighting for a fourth-round berth against fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka, a three-time Grand Slam champion currently unseeded as he continues his return from injury.Wawrinka was to face 29th-seeded Hungarian Marton Fucsovics later Saturday.World number two and second seed Rafael Nadal was set to launch his campaign against US wild card Jared Donaldson on Sunday night.Nadal, a three-time Indian Wells winner, is playing his third tournament of the year after a runner-up finish to Djokovic at the Australian Open and a second-round loss to eventual champion Nick Kyrgios in the Mexico Open in Acapulco.In other early matches, sixth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan survived a scare in a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) victory over France&#x27;s Adrian Mannarino.Mannarino, ranked 52nd in the world, served for the match at 6-5 in the third.He couldn&#x27;t muster a match point and double-faulted on break point and that was enough of a window for Nishikori.&quot;I think in the tiebreak I played best tennis of the match, I was really focused,&quot; said Nishikori, who opened 2019 with a title in Brisbane and then reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.Nishikori could get another Frenchman in the third round, when he will face either 30th-seeded Lucas Pouille or 67th-ranked Hubert Hurkacz of Poland.Eighth-seeded American John Isner raced into the third round with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Australian qualifier Alexei Popyrin.He&#x27;ll play Guido Pella, who ended the hopes of another Aussie qualifier, Alex Bolt, 7-6 (7/5), 2-6, 6-3.<div>© Agence France-Presse</div><div>For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.</div>

Five-time Indian Wells champion Roger Federer thwarted a second-set challenge from Peter Gojowczyk to reach the third round of the ATP Masters event on Sunday with a 6-1, 7-5 victory.

Five-time Indian Wells champion Roger Federer thwarted a second-set challenge from Peter Gojowczyk to reach the third round of the ATP Masters event on Sunday with a 6-1, 7-5 victory.