News Sports Tennis Roger Federer opens Indian Wells title defense with 2-day win

Roger Federer opens Indian Wells title defense with 2-day win

Federer, who earned his fifth title at Indian Wells last year, saved a set point in the second-set tiebreaker and advanced to face Filip Krajinovic on Monday.

Indian Wells Image Source : GETTY IMAGESA file image of Roger Federer.

Roger Federer completed a rain-delayed debut match at the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday with a 6-3, 7-6 (6) win over Federico Delbonis of Argentina.

On Saturday, Federer led 6-3, 2-2 when the match was delayed by a heavy drizzle 56 minutes after it began. Federer, who earned his fifth title at Indian Wells last year, saved a set point in the second-set tiebreaker and advanced to face Filip Krajinovic on Monday.

Marin Cilic, the 2014 U.S. Open champion who lost to Federer in the final of this year's Australian Open, eased to a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Marton Fucsovics.

Taro Daniel, a 109th-ranked qualifier, upset five-time Indian Wells champion Novak Djokovic 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-1.

Djokovic was makings his first appearance since being stunned by Hyeon Chung at the Australian Open. Djokovic sprinted out to a 5-2 lead against the 25-yard-old from Japan, but his mistakes began to add up and he finished with 58 unforced errors.

It was the earliest loss for Djokovic at Indian Wells since a first-round exit in 2006.

"It felt like first match I ever played on the tour," Djokovic said. "Very weird. I mean, I just completely lost rhythm, everything."

Gael Monfils upset No. 15 seed and 2012 runner-up John Isner 6-7 (5), 7-6 (3), 7-5.