Federer, Djokovic, Roddick advance at Indian Wells

Federer will play Argentina’s Juan Ignacio Chela in the third round of the $9 million tournament.

INDIAN WELLS:

Roger Federer and Kim Clijsters both faced tough challenges at Indian Wells, but not enough to prevent the world’s second-ranked players from moving on.

Federer beat Igor Andreev of Russia 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) in a second-round match while Clijsters defeated Italy’s Sara Errani 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in their third-round encounter in the $9 million dollar WTA and ATP Masters 1000 tournament.

“At the moment I feel good,” said Federer. “I have had a good last six months, and I guess it’s given me a lot of confidence.”

Federer, a three-time champion at Indian Wells, said he felt very confident in the golf cart heading to the main stadium for his afternoon match. “When I was on the cart driving to the tennis I felt really good,” said Federer, who will play Argentina’s Juan Ignacio Chela in the third round.

Clijsters advances

Clijsters has won Indian Wells twice in 2005 and 2003. Against Errani she had six aces but also committed 13 double faults in the one hour, 52-minute match.

“It was not my best,” said Clijsters. “You have to be on your tippy toes. She moved me around. Today my tippy toes felt like bricks.”

Clijsters next faces French 15th-seeded Marion Bartoli, who beat Andrea Petkovic 6-4, 6-2.

“Bartoli is a tricky player,” said Clijsters. “She is a girl who hits the ball on the rise and steps into the court.”

Zvonareva crashes out

Third-seed Vera Zvonareva crashed out of the tournament, losing 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 to Dominika Cibulkova in a marathon match on centre court.

Russia’s Zvonareva won the title two years ago but struggled with her serve, double-faulting six times in the third-round match lasting more than three hours. Cibulkova, seeded 25, advances to play Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium, who beat Kaia Kanepi 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Roddick rolls over Blake

Former world number one Andy Roddick got his tournament off on a successful note by beating fellow American James Blake 6-3, 7-5.

“It was tough, but the numbers looked good afterwards,” said Roddick.

“I felt like I was hitting the ball OK, so it worked out.”

Roddick and Federer were among three top 10 men competing on centre court.

Djokovic overpowers opponent

Meanwhile, world number three Novak Djokovic from Serbia, overpowered Andrey Golubev 6-0, 6-4 in the night match.

Djokovic has won a career-best 15 matches in a row.

Meanwhile, Czech seventh-seed Tomas Berdych eased past Lukasz Kubot 6-4, 6-1, Austria’s Jurgen Melzer rallied to beat Julien Benneteau of France 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 and Canada’s Milos Raonic defeated American Mardy Fish 7-5, 6-4.

In other matches, fifth-seeded Francesca Schiavone reached the fourth round by beating Alize Cornet of France 6-2, 6-3 and sixth-seeded Jelena Jankovic cruised past Julia Georges of Germany 6-2, 6-4. Former world number one Ana Ivanovic breezed past Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-2, 6-2.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2011.