All Swiss showdown as Federer guns for fifth title in Indian Wells

 

ByΒ Ros Satar, in Indian Wells

  • Stan Wawrinka [3] v Roger Federer [9]
  • Head to Head: Federer leads 19-3
INDIAN WELLS, USA – It is an all-Swiss showdown Roger Federer guns for a fifth title in his continuing comeback, at the BNP Paribas Open.

 

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Stan Wawrinka – Fact File

http://gty.im/654947366

Age 31 (28 March 1985)
Turned Pro 2002
Weight 179 lbs (81 kgs)
Height 6’0” (1.83m)
Birth-Place Lausanne, Switzerland
Residence St, Barthelemy, Switzerland
Plays Right Handed, One Handed Backhand
Career High (Singles) 3 (27 Jan 2014)
Career Singles Titles 15 (3 Slam titles)
Website Twitter

 

Wawrinka’s Path to Final

  • R1: BYE
  • R2: Paolo Lorenzi 6-3 6-4
  • R3: Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-5 6-3
  • R4: Yoshihito Nishioka 3-6 6-3 7-6(4)
  • QF: Dominic Thiem 6-4 4-6 7-6(2)
  • SF: Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3 6-2

 

Stan Wawrinka seems to have had to work himself into form this week or so. He had a good start in a draw that saw the real dangers of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer all in one quarter in the opposite end of the draw,

His real test came at the hands of one of the more charming stories of the tournament – Lucky Loser Yoshihito Nishioka enjoyed wins over Ivo Karlovic, Tomas Berdych and served twice to knock out Wawrinka, and here we saw the first danger signs.

Wawrinka looked to be inhibited in his serving action, and the familiar explosive action of his one-handed back had seemed to have deserted him untl the tie-break.

He had another test with Dominic Thiem, who still seems to singlehandedly want to play every tournament the planet has to offer, but any sign of fatigue was gone as Wawrinka pretty much battered Pablo Carreno Busta off the court

 

Roger Federer – Fact File

http://gty.im/654943932

Age 35 (8 August 1981)
Turned Pro 1998
Weight 187 lbs (85kg)
Height 6’1” (1.85m)
Birth-Place Basel, Switzerland
Residence Basel, Switzerland
Plays Right Handed, One Handed Backhand
Career High (Singles) 1 (10 February 2004)
Career Singles Titles 89 titles, 18 Slam Titles
Website Twitter

 

Federer’s Path to the Final

  • R1: BYE
  • R2: Stephane Robert 6-2 6-1
  • R3: Steve Johnson 7-6(3) 7-6(4)
  • R4: Rafael Nadal 6-2 6-3
  • QF: Nick Kyrgios W/O
  • SF: Jack Sock 6-1 7-6(4)

 

The group of death came, it saw and it got well and truly conquered. All eyes were on how would emerge from a quarter with Federer, Nadal and defending champion Djokovic. We found out our answer soon enough as Djokovic was dispatched by Nick Kyrgios, before Federer blew Nadal off the court.

Now if we thought that was anti-climatic, that was nothing to the quarter-final debacle where Federer advanced on a walkover as Kyrgios had to pull out with suspected food poisoning.

The way in which Federer proceeded to clobber poor last American standing, Jack Sock made for awkward viewing, until the American tried to put up more of a fight, but a little too late.

 

Britwatch Breakdown – Stan Wawrinka [3] v Roger Federer [4] – H2H: Federer leads 19-3

As solid as Federer has been in a draw that proved to be a walk in the park, you have to wonder whether not being tested as much as Wawrinka will come back to bite him in his derriere.Β Wawrinka has had to battle, but we do know that he is a big occasion player, and perhaps his more lacklustre results in the smaller tournaments explain it sometimes.

He should have been back in the locker room concentrating his picnic tablecloth shorts on more than one occasion against Japan’s Nishioka, but he found a way to come back from a set down and win that.Β Thiem tested him also, but all in all Wawrinka’s experience told. Now he has never beaten Federer on any surface other than a clay court, so he will need to be back to his super-aggressive best.

Federer has introduced more aggression into his game, and his backhand has been a thing of wonder this tournament. Where his is balletic, Wawrinka’s is akin to taking a broadsword to crack a nut.Β It is hard to see Federer not win this – the question will be can Stan at least take a set off him in the process – we think yes,

Prediction: Federer in three sets.

 

BRITWATCH BREAKDOWN

Wawrinka v Federer

Stan Wawrinka [3] Roger Federer [9]
Β·Β Β Β Β Β Β  Previous best performances – quarter-finals in 2008, 2011

Β·Β Β Β Β Β Β  Never beaten Federer on hard courts

Β·Β Β Β Β Β Β  Four time champion 2004-2006, 2011

Β·Β Β Β Β Β Β  Not dropped a set all tournament

R1: BYE

R2: Paolo Lorenzi 6-3 6-4

R3: Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-5 6-3

R4: Yoshihito Nishioka 3-6 6-3 7-6(4)

QF: Dominic Thiem 6-4 4-6 7-6(2)

SF: Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3 6-2

R1: BYE

R2: Stephane Robert 6-2 6-1

R3: Steve Johnson 7-6(3) 7-6(4)

R4: Rafael Nadal 6-2 6-3

QF: Nick Kyrgios W/O

SF: Jack Sock 6-1 7-6(4)

Stadium 1
Not before 1pm (8pm, BST)

 

Featured Image (c) AnitaCaptures.com