Federer/Wawrinka qualify for the doubles semi-final of BNP Paribas Open
Swiss team of Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka defeated the Bahamian/Slovakian pair of Mark Knowles and Michal Mertinak in straight sets 6-1, 7-5 in the quarter-final of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells on Thursday.
The Swiss duo took just 1 hour and 4 minutes to undo their opponents in a one-sided contest.
Federer and Wawrinka dominated most part of the opening set as they broke Knowles and Mertinak twice in the set, winning it 6-1.
The Swiss pair hit a single ace and the same number of double fault in the first set. They hit 68 per cent of the first serves, winning 80 per cent of the points on them. Federer and Wawrinka converted 2 of the 3 break points they
received in the opening set. In comparison, their opponents failed to convert any of the 2 break points they received in the first set.
After losing the first set abysmally, Knowles and Mertinak fought back in the second set as they broke their opponents in the second game and held their next service game to race to a 3-0 lead. However, Federer and Wawrinka broke
back in the fifth game, reducing their deficit to 2-3. The Swiss pair broke Knowles and Mertinak again in the eleventh game to take a 6-5 lead. They held their serve in the next game, winning the set 7-5.
Federer and Wawrinka delivered 55 per cent of the first serves in the second set and converted 83 per cent of them into points. On the other hand, Knowles and Mertinak hit 63 per cent of the first serves, winning the same percentage
of points on them. The world number 16 pair failed to save any of the 2 break points it faced in the second set. In comparison, Federer and Wawrinka saved 1 of the 2 break points they faced in the second set.
The Swiss pair is playing its first tournament together this year. Wawrinka, pairing with Frank Dancevic of Canada, lost to Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes 6-3, 6-7(8), 4-10 in the first round of the Aircel Chennai Open.
Prior to this championship, Federer and Wawrinka played their last match in the Switzerland vs. Belgium Davis Cup tie in Switzerland, where they beat Xavier Malisse and Olivier Rochus in four sets 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-3, 6-3 in the doubles
rubber.
The only title of the pair came at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, where they defeated Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson of Sweden 6-3, 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3 in the gold medal match.
The Swiss pair will face Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez in the semi-finals. The Spanish team upset world number 11 pair Lukas Dlouhy and Paul Hanley 7-5, 6-7(3), 10-7 in the quarter-final.
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