Day 8 of the BNP Paribas Open featured Roger Federer winning his 50th match at Indian Wells. The Tennis Review awards him the title of Player of the day for another impressive career achievement.
Roger Federer won his 50th match at Indian Wells, beating Jack Sock 6-3, 6-2 on his way to the quarter-finals of the ATP 1000 tournament.
Federer first played at Indian Wells in 2001. Ranked 21 at the time, Federer played Nicholas Kiefer, ranked 43, but let a one set lead slip and lost the match.
A year later, he returned, ranked 14, and played Xavier Malisse. This time he came back from a set down to score his first win in the Californian desert. That year, Federer went out in the round of 16, upset by Tomas Enqvist in straight sets.
The Swiss would not reach his seeded position in the Indian Wells draw until 2004 when, as the top seed, he won the title, beating Tim Henman in the final 6-3, 6-3.
Federer has won four titles overall at the tournament (2005, 2006, 2012), finished runner-up once (2014) and lost in the semi-finals three times.
The Swiss’ 50th win at Indian Wells, against 58th ranked Jack Sock, showcased the weapons he has displayed in his deep runs at the event, most notably his serve and all-court game.
Federer served 8 aces, won 86% of his first serves and an incredible 79% of his second serves. That stat is impressive even for Federer- his 2015 record to date for second serves won is 54%.
Federer broke Sock three times and held 11 break points against a player averaging 119 mph on their first serve and 103 on their second.
The Swiss hit 27 winners to 22 errors. 8 from the forehand, 4 from the backhand, and 13 winners from 15 points played at the net.
The Swiss played his best match of the tournament so far against a player who may have been playing in his first tournament of the year, but had upset one of the tour’s most solid players, 13th seed Roberto Bautista-Agut, in the previous round.
Federer will now try and get his 51st win when he comes up against Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals.
Watch highlights of Federer’s 50th Indian Wells win below.
Commentary by Christian Deverille.
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