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Roger Federer: defending champion wins opener at Indian Wells

By Harry Floyd

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 29: (Editors Note: Digital filters were used)Roger Federer of Switzerland poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after winning the 2018 Australian Open Men's Singles Final, at Government House on January 29, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 29: (Editors Note: Digital filters were used)Roger Federer of Switzerland poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after winning the 2018 Australian Open Men's Singles Final, at Government House on January 29, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images) /
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Roger Federer is in the winners’ circle after his opener at the 2018 Indian Wells Masters. The defending champion is the heavy favorite.

Roger Federer wins yet again this week. Off to a fantastic start on the 2018 ATP World Tour, it appears he is the undisputed player to beat in men’s singles right now.

The Swiss superstar is the defending champion at Indian Wells. He defeats Federico Delbonis in straight sets after a rain delay and tough tiebreak. Despite the delay, Federer comes out on top. He is without a doubt the favorite on the men’s side moving forward at Indian Wells.

Look for Federer to be solid in his next match at Indian Wells. He takes on Serbia’s Filip Krajinović in the round of 32 on Monday. The young Serbian tennis player has reached career heights on the ATP World Tour as of late but he has his work cut out for him against Federer. With Rafael Nadal out due to injury, the Swiss great is the player to beat. Other top players such as Grigor Dimitrov, John Isner, and Novak Djokovic have already dropped out of action. While Djokovic’s loss is a disappointment, he is returning from injury and should take the three set loss as a positive sign moving forward. He ought to bounce back quickly.

Roger Federer is a 5-time champion at Indian Wells.

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There is no doubt that Federer feels right at home at the Indian Wells Masters. He is a five-time champion in men’s singles at the Masters 1000 tournament. He and Djokovic have largely dominated the event throughout the past decade. Nadal has sprinkled a few wins in but, as he is out due to injury, the tournament is Federer’s to lose. Some young stars pose a threat but they will need to be at their very best moving forward this month.

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Stay tuned to see how Roger Federer fares on Monday at Indian Wells. He is the heavy favorite in his next match but anything can happen. His game is on point right now though so, pending the unexpected, he should continue to cruise through play this week. Check back for updates on all of the action at the 2018 Indian Wells Masters.

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