RICKY DIMON REPORTS ON TENNIS FROM COACHELLA AS AZARENKA & DJOKOVIC CAPTURE TITLES IN INDIAN WELLS AT THE BNP PARIBAS OPEN

Written by: Staff on 20th March 2016

RICKY DIMON REPORTS ON TENNIS FROM COACHELLA AS AZARENKA & DJOKOVIC CAPTURE TITLES IN INDIAN WELLS AT THE BNP PARIBAS OPEN

epa05223452 Novak Djokovic from Serbia holds the trophy after defeating Milos Raonic from Canada during their final match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, 20 March 2016. Djokovic won 6-2, 6-0. EPA/MIKE NELSON |

Only one of the No. 1 players in the world triumphed at the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday afternoon. Serena Williams was upset 6-4, 6-4 by Victoria Azarenka in the women’s final, but there was no such surprise on the men’s side–not even close. Novak Djokovic crushed Milos Raonic 6-2, 6-0 in just one hour and 17 minutes.

Azarenka double-faulted eight times, but she made up for those blunders by dominating with her first serve and staying strong on break points. The world No. 15 won 37 of 43 first-serve points and saved 11 of 12 break points.

Williams trailed 5-1 in the second set before mounting a charge. The top-seeded American held for 2-5, finally converted a break chance for 3-5, and then held for 4-5. She almost made things especially interesting by putting Azarenka in a 15-40 hole in the following game. The Belarusian, though, fought off both break points and ultimately delivered an incredibly clutch hold to clinch the win.

“I was very, I would say, brave to go for things that I haven’t maybe done as much before in the matches (against Williams),” Azarenka assessed. “I was more aggressive. I started to use my serve the way I wanted to use my serve. Sometimes it doesn’t work necessarily, like couple of matches this week. But having that big goal in mind and going after it, that’s something that makes the momentum shift on the big stages.”

Victoria Azarenka from Belarus celebrates after defeating Serena Williams from the USA during their final match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, 20 March 2016. Azarenka won 6-4, 6-4. EPA/MIKE NELSON

“I think overall it was a good result for me just to be able to be back and to be able to play, in general,” said Williams, whose comeback in Indian Wells last season ended in a withdrawal due to injury. “I think that overall (it) was just really, really good. Obviously I didn’t win and that’s not the result I was looking for, but I think looking at the big picture it’s just I definitely didn’t expect to be on that stage again. So it was interesting. It’s an interesting feeling right now.”

There was not anything remotely interesting about the men’s title match, aside from the shock of the scoreline. Djokovic, of course, was a heavy favorite–but not to a 6-2, 6-0 extent.

Bothered by a possible recurrence of an adductor injury that sidelined him in between the Australian Open and Indian Wells, Raonic struck only four aces and won a horrendously bad three of 30 second-serve points.

“I don’t think it affected my effort,” the Canadian commented. “I thought he played much better than I did. I struggled again, just like last time, to start the match well. He took the most advantage of that; he’s the best player in the world at this moment and a good step ahead of everybody.”