March 21, 2010: Ivan Ljubicic wins unexpected Indian Wells final over..
Two days after turning 31, Ivan Ljubicic defeated Andy Roddick 7-6, 7-6 in the final of Indian Wells to lift the first Masters 1000 title and become the second oldest champion at this level after Andre Agassi. A former world no. 3 hadn't enjoyed a perfect start of 2010 season, winning just five matches in the first four tournaments but saving his best tennis for the big event in the desert to claim the tenth and it would turn out to be the final ATP title of his career. This was the eight Indian Wells run for Ljubicic and he had no wins there before 2005 when he lost in the fourth round to Roger Federer.
Ivan played well in the following years, losing in the quarters on three occasions to Federer, Roddick and Murray, and managing to go all the way in 2010, defeating world no. 2 Novak Djokovic and world no. 3 Rafael Nadal en route to the final where he faced Andy Roddick on March 21. Ivan became the first Indian Wells champion outside Federer, Nadal and Djokovic since 2003 and this was also the first Masters 1000 final without players from the big four since Paris 2008 when Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated David Nalbandian. The title match was very important for Andy Roddick as well, trying to win his first big title since Cincinnati 2006 (he would win Miami two weeks later) and they both gave their best to cross the finish line first.
Interestingly, this was their 11th and the final meeting on the Tour and the sixth at Masters 1000 series, with the Croat overpowering the American for the fourth time overall. Ivan served at just 56% but managed to fend off all six break points he faced and prevail in both tie breaks for straight sets triumph. He had the advantage in the shortest points, hitting nine aces more than Andy, and the American had the upper hand in the more extended exchanges to stay in touch all the time (they won 84 points each). Roddick had to play against three break points and all of those came in the very first game of the match, saving them with three quick points to avoid an early setback.
Tables turned in game four when Ivan had to defend three break points, repelling them in style and closing the game with a backhand down the line winner to level the score at 2-2. Andy controlled the pace from the baseline in the rest of the set and won another longer point with a smash winner in game ten to create a set point. Ivan fired an excellent serve to save it and that was the last opportunity for the returners before the tie break. The Croat was more focused in the crucial moments, winning all points on serve and scoring two mini-breaks to clinch the breaker 7-3 and move a set away from the most prominent result in a career.
It all could have been very different if Andy had managed to convert any of two break points he forged in the ninth game of set number two but two good serves from Ivan denied his progress, with the Croat closing the game with an ace after more than ten minutes to remain in front. Both players held with ease in the last three service games to set up another tie break, a must win one for Andy, and Ljubicic was once again the more efficient player. He scored the first mini-break with a backhand winner and raced into a 5-1 lead when Roddick netted an easy forehand.
A home star pulled one mini-break back in the ninth point and reduced the deficit to 6-5 with two good points behind his serve although Ljubicic needed just one unreturned serve to grab the win and celebrate the crown. The Croat was the more aggressive player and he handled the crucial points more efficiently than his rival, clinching the encounter in two hours and seven minutes and becoming the first Croat with Masters 1000 crown since Goran Ivanisevic in Paris 1993.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2ulLBE7
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