They can’t let Nole win, without making it about how well Federer lost. Granted, Federer is Federer, but sometimes the bias just seems too obvious. (Hot pic at least…)
Djokovic reasserted himself in the tiebreaker that ended the match. Credit Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press (click)
From The New York Times:
In Loss, Federer Shows More Evidence of Resurgence
By BEN ROTHENBERGMARCH 16, 2014
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Roger Federer leaves the BNP Paribas Open having reclaimed his champion’s aura, even after finishing as the runner-up.
After winning the first set of the final on Sunday, the seventh-seeded Federer dropped the next two, ultimately losing, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3), to No. 2 Novak Djokovic, who claimed his third title at this Masters 1000 event in the desert of the Coachella Valley.
Serving for the match at 5-4 in the third set, Djokovic became more tentative and Federer pounced, racing out to a 0-40 lead that had the crowd roaring. When he broke, the crowd rose to salute his resilience.
But in the tiebreaker that ended the match, Djokovic reasserted himself. He won two of the first three points on Federer’s serve in the tiebreaker to take a 5-1 lead and eventually sealed the match at 7-3. When Federer’s final backhand hit the net, Djokovic calmly removed his hat and raised his fist toward his player’s box as he walked to the net.
“I stayed mentally tough, and that, for me, is something that gives me a lot of encouragement and hopefully a confidence boost for the rest of the season,” Djokovic said of his late-match recovery.
“If you see the angle that last year was difficult — especially this time around last year in Indian Wells — I’m able to turn it all around now, and I’m really playing nice tennis,” Federer said. “You know, that’s also what I said out on the court. And I truly believe that I’m playing good tennis, and then it’s maybe sometimes a little easier to lose this way.”
Though Federer leaves Indian Wells technically a loser despite the boost to his confidence, another 32-year-old leaves the desert with a trophy. Flavia Pennetta, an Italian veteran who acknowledged contemplating retirement last year when her ranking fell outside the top 100, beat second-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-2, 6-1, for the biggest title of her career and her first in four years. Pennetta’s ranking will move to 12th, from 22nd.
Radwanska, who began the match with her left knee taped, struggled with the injury throughout the match and barely ran for balls as the second set wore on. Several visits from the trainer to apply more tape provided little relief.
“I’m so sorry that I couldn’t run as much as I could,” she said later, fighting tears.
For Pennetta, there were only smiles.
“Thirty-two, O.K., we are old,” Pennetta said, using air quotation marks with the adjective. “But we’re still good athletes.”
P.S., then this: “Evidence Mounts That Men’s Top Four Tennis Players Are No Longer on Pedestal ,“ about how the top four — Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, Murray — aren’t all that anymore. Whatever. Just as long as I live to see the Catalan crushed and humiliated and forced to leave the game and his career in disgrace — I’ll be happy.
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Jadde: from Bosnia to Bengal 