E-Paper
Indian Wells Masters: Federer advances to third round
Roger Federer brushed the cobwebs off his game as he advanced to the third round of the Indian Wells Masters with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 win over Marc Gicquel.
Roger Federer brushed the cobwebs off his game as he advanced to the third round of the Indian Wells Masters with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 win over Marc Gicquel.
But two of the top three women's seed were sent packing. Seventeen-year-old Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, ranked 42nd, stunned second seeded Serb Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 6-4. And Czech Petra Cetkovska dismissed fatigued No.2 Elena Dementieva 6-7 (2-7), 6-2, 6-1.
Pavlyuchenkova's accomplishment was the biggest win of a career which has featured three tournament quarter-finals.
Men's world No.2 Federer was competing for the first time since losing the Australian Open final to Rafael Nadal, skipping Dubai and the Davis Cup to rest his back.
"(I felt) a bit rusty maybe, coming back from not having played," said the 13-time Grand Slam winner. "But it was okay. I'm happy I won, that's always most important."
Fourth seed Andy Murray began a slow return to form after overcoming a virus that had laid him low, advancing to victory 7-5, 6-3 over Albert Montanes.
"I thought I did well. I wanted to just give it 110 per cent," said the winner of two ATP titles so far in 2009.
"You just go in with a little bit less expectation. When you're not expecting to play your best and you go behind, you just deal with it a little bit better," Murray said.
"I don't change the way I play. You just to have try and work your way into the match. I got more solid as it went on."
Spain's tenth seed Fernando Verdasco hammered Brazilian Tomaz Bellucci 7-5, 6-1 while number 11 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili 7-5, 6-3.
