By DPA,
Indian Wells (California) : Former winners Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic polished off their opening opponents with studied ease Sunday as the second and third seeds began their campaigns for repeat titles at the Indian Wells Masters.
Federer, who lifted the trophy in the desert with a hat-trick in 2004-06, earned his 30th victory at the Tennis Garden with an efficient defeat of Russian Igor Andreev 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).
Djokovic, who owns the Australian Open and Dubai honours, dispatched Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan 6-0, 6-4 to stand an impressive 13-0 on the season.
Federer’s ran his record over Russian Andreev to 4-0, and the victory in just over 90 minutes was his first in the series without the loss of a set.
“I was in the match quickly against him, which maybe in the past wasn’t always the case because he has got a lot of spin and a lot of pace,” the 16-time Grand Slam winner said.
“I was able to handle that better today, I thought. I had a good 10 minutes where I was able to get up 7-5, 2-0 before he found his way into the match, and it really became competitive.It was a good end to the match on both sides. I played a really good tiebreak, which obviously makes things better towards the end.”
While winning only one of the majors since January 2010, Federer remains one of the hottest players on the ATP, now 69-13 over the last 12 months including 15-2 in 2011. He took a surprise third-round loss in 2010 to Marcos Baghdatis.
2008 champion Djokovic is breathing down Federer’s ranking position, with the possibility of stealing the number two slot away with either an appearance in the final or a place in the semis combined with Federer losing before the quarter-finals.
Five more seeds joined the leaders on the day, with seventh-seeded Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych beating Pole Lukasz Kubot 6-4, 6-1 and number eight Andy Roddick knocking out old friend James Blake 6-3, 7-5.
Austrian 10th seed Jurgen Melzer staged a comeback over Julien Benneteau 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, while Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka, seeded 12th, did the same to Nikolay Davydenko 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.
Serb Viktor Troicki, 16th, beat Australian Bernard Tomic 6-4, 6-4.
Women’s seeds also fared well, with number two Kim Clijsters going through but dissatisfied with her game after experiencing some chronic arm pain in a defeat of tenacious Italian Sara Errani, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
“I wasn’t pleased, but I won. At the end of the day, that is the positive thing I am getting out of it,” said the Belgian number two.
“I played a tricky player who played a good match, and I was still able to win without being close to coming to my best level. Everything will have to be a lot better for the next match.”
But her arm remains a worry: “When I am not training it feels fine. I just felt with those higher shots. I feel it pinching a little bit more when I have to do that kick serve and when I have to just reach that right arm up higher with the forehand.”
Roland Garros winner Francesca Schiavone, seeded fifth, beat Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-3, while holder and sixth seed Jelena Jankovic beat German Julia Goerges 6-2, 6-4.