Two paths to a title: a rout for Osaka and a thriller for del potro

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March 19, 2018 2:18 AM

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Naomi Osaka’s ability to deliver a victory speech is, by her own admission, a work in progress, but if she continues to play as well as she did this year in the California desert, she will get plenty of chances to perfect the art.

It has long been clear that Osaka had the requisite power and ball-striking ability to eventually become a force on the women’s tour.

But she proved in Indian Wells that she was ready to take a leading role.

With her improved movement and consistency, the unseeded Osaka rumbled through the women’s draw: dismissing former No. 1 players Maria Sharapova and Karolina Pliskova and current No. 1 Simona Halep on her way to the final, where she defeated her fellow newcomer Daria Kasatkina, 6-3, 6-2, on Sunday afternoon.

That was not the match of the day, however. That came next when Juan Martín del Potro saved three match points before putting an end to Roger Federer’s 17-match winning streak with a 6-4, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (2) victory in the men’s final.

It was the best duel so far of the men’s season and a breakthrough for del Potro, the oft-injured Argentine star who, at 29, finally won his first Masters 1000 singles title.

Federer, back at No. 1 at 36, will remain on top heading into the Miami Open this month. Del Potro is back at No. 6 but is playing well enough to dream bigger. Multiple wrist surgeries derailed his career and made him seriously consider retirement.

Del Potro has worked his way back over the last two seasons, winning a silver medal in singles at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and the Davis Cup with Argentina later that year. He is now able to drive his backhand effectively with two hands again and not just rely on a one-handed slice.

All those shots proved useful against Federer on Sunday as del Potro extended his winning streak to 11 matches and put the first blemish on Federer’s heretofore-perfect 2018 record.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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