Juan Martin del Potro rallied from three match points down in the third set to beat top-ranked Roger Federer 6-4 6-7 (10-8) 7-6 (7-2) and win the Indian Wells Masters.
It was the Swiss superstar and world No.1’s first loss this year.
Del Potro became the first Argentine winner in the 42-year history of the desert tournament and his win also ended Federer’s 17-match winning streak – the best start of his career.
Del Potro held a match point at 8-7 in the second-set tiebreaker, but he lost the final three points on his own errors that allowed Federer to force a third set.
They were on serve in the third until Federer broke for a 5-4 lead with a backhand winner off del Potro’s serve.
Federer had a chance to serve out the match, holding two match points. But del Potro staved both off to force deuce.
Federer’s forehand went long, giving del Potro a break point. Federer answered with a backhand that hit del Potro at the net and then gained his third match point on del Potro’s forehand error.
Del Potro recovered to deuce with a forehand winner. Federer mis-hit a forehand high into the air beyond the baseline, giving del Potro another break point. The Argentine cashed in with a well-placed forehand in the corner to tie the set, 5-all.
In the tiebreaker, Del Potro raced to a 6-1 lead, helped by two of Federer’s double faults. He closed out the win on his third match point when Federer’s forehand failed.
Del Potro survived three-setters against countryman Leonardo Mayer in the fourth round and Philipp Kohlschreiber in the quarter-finals. It was his first win against Federer since last year’s US Open quarters. Del Potro trails in their series 18-7.
Del Potro arrived at Indian Wells having won a title in Acapulco and back in the top 10 rankings. He nearly quit the sport after enduring multiple wrist surgeries in recent years.