Djokovic rallies to down Federer for title
20 March 2014 4:30 AM IST
Djokovic defeated Federer 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) to add a third title in the California desert to those he captured in 2008 and 2011.
‘I’m just very happy and thrilled to be able to win the first title in this season. I played, three, four matches in three sets, a couple of matches had to come from a set down. Mentally this definitely helps my confidence,’ Djokovic said.
Having gained an early break for a 2-1 lead in the third set, Djokovic served for the match at 5-4 but was broken. From there they went to a tiebreaker that Djokovic dominated. ‘You always have to dig deep against Roger,’ said Djokovic, who put every first serve in play in that ninth game and still dropped his serve. ‘When I served for the match, he played a fantastic game. I couldn’t do much about it. I managed to regroup and get into the tiebreak. That was absolutely great for me, I mean, from the first to the last point,’ Djokovic said.
Flavia wins crown
Meanwhile, Italy’s Flavia Pennetta routed world number three Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-1 to win the women’s title. Pennetta, 32, claimed the biggest title of her career, needing just one hour and 13 minutes to blow past Poland’s second-seeded Radwanska, who was hobbled by a left leg injury. Pennetta’s victims in the event included world number two and top seed Li Na of China as well as former US Open champion Samantha Stosur. Pennetta claimed the 10th WTA title of her career and her first since Marbella in 2010. Since then Pennetta had battled through a dismal 2012 season in which she struggled with both a back and wrist injury, dropping as low as 166th in the world.
‘I’m just very happy and thrilled to be able to win the first title in this season. I played, three, four matches in three sets, a couple of matches had to come from a set down. Mentally this definitely helps my confidence,’ Djokovic said.
Having gained an early break for a 2-1 lead in the third set, Djokovic served for the match at 5-4 but was broken. From there they went to a tiebreaker that Djokovic dominated. ‘You always have to dig deep against Roger,’ said Djokovic, who put every first serve in play in that ninth game and still dropped his serve. ‘When I served for the match, he played a fantastic game. I couldn’t do much about it. I managed to regroup and get into the tiebreak. That was absolutely great for me, I mean, from the first to the last point,’ Djokovic said.
Flavia wins crown
Meanwhile, Italy’s Flavia Pennetta routed world number three Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-1 to win the women’s title. Pennetta, 32, claimed the biggest title of her career, needing just one hour and 13 minutes to blow past Poland’s second-seeded Radwanska, who was hobbled by a left leg injury. Pennetta’s victims in the event included world number two and top seed Li Na of China as well as former US Open champion Samantha Stosur. Pennetta claimed the 10th WTA title of her career and her first since Marbella in 2010. Since then Pennetta had battled through a dismal 2012 season in which she struggled with both a back and wrist injury, dropping as low as 166th in the world.
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