THE ASSOCIATED PRESS INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Roger Federer and Andy Murray each took a step closer to a possible showdown in the semifinals with relatively routine victories during third-round matches Monday at the BNP Paribas Open. Federer, a three-time Indian Wells winner ranked No. 2 and trying for another shot against No. 1 Rafael Nadal in the title match, downed Ivo Karlovic 7-6(4), 6-3. Playing his first event since withdrawing from the Dubai tournament and the first round of Davis Cup because of back problems, Federer came up with big shots when needed against Karlovic. Down 3-1 in the tiebreaker, the Swiss star evened it with points on a volley past Karlovic, then a low, hard forehand that the Croatian couldn't handle. Karlovic, ranked No. 28, then made a series of unforced errors, including hitting a forehand long for the final point of the tiebreaker. Federer, who had said he was rusty coming into Indian Wells, looked considerably sharper in the second set, reeling off the hard, accurate groundstrokes that made him the world's top player for so long. The 21-year-old Murray, a Scot ranked No. 4 and off to a 17-1 start this season, overpowered Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-3, 6-2. Murray served six aces, won 21 of 25 first-serve points and jumped on his French opponent's second serve to take 17 of 24 points. No. 17 Fernando Gonzalez of Chile made quick work of James Blake, needing only an hour and five minutes to beat the American 7-5, 6-1. No. 13 Blake made 35 unforced errors, 11 more than Gonzalez. Defending champion Ana Ivanovic, also last year's French Open winner who spent some three months atop the rankings, defeated Gisela Dulko 6-3, 6-3 in their third-round match.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Federer, Murray closer to showdown
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Roger Federer and Andy Murray each took a step closer to a possible showdown in the semifinals with relatively routine victories during third-round matches Monday at the BNP Paribas Open. Federer, a three-time Indian Wells winner ranked No. 2 and trying for another shot against No. 1 Rafael Nadal in the title match, downed Ivo Karlovic 7-6(4), 6-3. Playing his first event since withdrawing from the Dubai tournament and the first round of Davis Cup because of back problems, Federer came up with big shots when needed against Karlovic. Down 3-1 in the tiebreaker, the Swiss star evened it with points on a volley past Karlovic, then a low, hard forehand that the Croatian couldn't handle. Karlovic, ranked No. 28, then made a series of unforced errors, including hitting a forehand long for the final point of the tiebreaker. Federer, who had said he was rusty coming into Indian Wells, looked considerably sharper in the second set, reeling off the hard, accurate groundstrokes that made him the world's top player for so long. The 21-year-old Murray, a Scot ranked No. 4 and off to a 17-1 start this season, overpowered Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-3, 6-2. Murray served six aces, won 21 of 25 first-serve points and jumped on his French opponent's second serve to take 17 of 24 points. No. 17 Fernando Gonzalez of Chile made quick work of James Blake, needing only an hour and five minutes to beat the American 7-5, 6-1. No. 13 Blake made 35 unforced errors, 11 more than Gonzalez. Defending champion Ana Ivanovic, also last year's French Open winner who spent some three months atop the rankings, defeated Gisela Dulko 6-3, 6-3 in their third-round match.
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