Federer Whips Blake for Third Straight Indian Wells Win

Posted on March 19, 2006

FINAL FACTS – FEDERER WINS THIRD CONSECUTIVE PACIFIC LIFE OPEN TITLE

Roger Federer claimed the first ATP Masters Series of 2006, after winning his third consecutive Pacific Life Open title in Indian Wells defeating James Blake 75, 63, 60. The final was watched by more than 14,610 fans at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. 

  • Federer improved to an ATP-best 22-1 match record for the year, with his only loss coming against Rafael Nadal in the Dubai final two weeks ago. The victory hands Federer his third title of the year after wins in Doha and the Australian Open.
  • Federer maintained his record of never losing back-to-back finals in successive weeks, and never losing two finals in a row since Marseille and Basel in 2000.
  • The win was Federer's 18th successive win at Indian Wells, having dropped only two sets in the process, one of which was to Olivier Rochus in the third round this week.
  • Blake, who took out second seed Nadal in the semifinals, will move to a career-high No. 9 in the INDESIT ATP Rankings - his first time in the elite Top 10. The American was appearing in his third final of the year, having won the Sydney and Las Vegas titles. His match record in 2006 currently stands at 19-5, equal third with Tommy Haas in matches won this year.
  • Federer trailed 1-4 and a double break in the first set before winning 18 of the next 22 games. Federer won 80 percent of points on his first serve and broke Blake seven times.
  • Blake missed his chance to put Federer under sustained pressure when he served for the first set. On the first point at 5-4 Blake missed a floating forehand volley when Federer was dead in the court. He fell behind 0/40, rallied to get back to deuce, saved a third break point but then threw in back-to-back double faults to drop serve.

  • Blake holds two title victories in 2006, Sydney and Las Vegas, and now adds his first ATP Masters Series Final as well.

 

WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID

 

Roger Federer

 

"It was a hard-fought battle in the beginning.  Really got the better of me in the beginning, so I had to react and not panic.  I did a good job there. In the end, I played fantastic tennis with some great shots once again.  You know, to pull them off in a final, it's always a nice feeling.  I really had great matches back-to-back on a few occasions now.  The form is excellent right now."

 

"Yeah, I mean, I remember I played him not too long ago in Cincinnati in the first round.  I had a tough one there.  I remember he really impressed me how he served.  I knew that it was important to get the first serve back, sort of get into play, not let him dominate all the time. On the second serve I knew anyway I've got a chance against anybody.  But the first serve is sometimes key to really get those important points.  That's what I really did well today.  I mean, of course, he didn't serve that great in the second and the third, like in the first.  But I think that was definitely key to success today, also returning his serve and make him work hard on each and every service game, not give him some easy games where he can relax."

 

"Well, you know, you can't sort of compare them to other tournament victories you have or whatever.  You look in the moment itself.  I think beginning of the season, winning the first Masters Series is huge for me really.  Even though I don't fall on my knees and cry and everything, it still means a lot to me.

 

Sometimes really the big satisfaction comes later on, you know, maybe a few months down the road where I go like, "Wow, I did really well in Indian Wells.  What a great week I had."  I remember coming here, I was extremely tense looking at the draw, thinking, "Wow, I've got Indian Wells, Key Biscayne to defend."  It really got me worried.

 
Now that I won, I'm pretty relaxed, very happy.  I don't know.  It's a hard question to answer really because every tournament you win could be your last, so you try to enjoy it the most you can."
 

James Blake

 

"Got up early, had some chances.  Continue playing like that would be a good start.  Obviously, he raised his level, too.  Along with a couple of mistakes by me at the end of that first set, he really picked his level up and played unbelievably, put pressure on me on all my service games, was kind of cruising on his, forcing me to hit shots I didn't want to hit, putting me in uncomfortable positions.  That's what he's best at. 

 

He did everything he needed to do to win, along with a couple of little breaks at the end of the first set where I maybe tried to do a little too much or gave him too much credit.  Instead of making him come up with a great passing shot, I went for too much, ended up missing, gave him freebees.  You can't do that against the No. 1 player in the world."

 

"4-1, I was just -- I was thinking I'm playing well, see if we can keep this up.  I need to make more first serves is what I was thinking.  I'm giving him too many looks at second serves.  I was still managing to win, but I knew that wasn't going to keep up.  I know if I'm putting second serves into him all the time, he's going to be attacking me pretty soon.

 
I tried to do that.  He played a great game at 4-1.  Then I thought, okay, I was trying to keep it pretty simple, let's get a break.  Let's see if I could make it easy on myself, get up 5-2, just keep worrying about that.  Don't think ahead, you know, that you're already one set up or anything like that.  I never did that, even serving for it at 5-4, I knew there was -- he wasn't going to just let me win that set, he was going to fight hard. (ATP)"