By Chris Oddo | Tuesday March 12, 2019
Roger Federer booked his spot in the sweet 16 at Indian Wells with his 22nd career win over Stan Wawrinka.
Photo Source: Yong Tek Lim/Getty
Friends are easy to find on Facebook, but when you’re facing Roger Federer on a hardcourt, it can be a friendless experience.
Stan Wawrinka was reminded of how ruthless Federer can be as he was bounced from the draw in under an hour by his compatriot, 6-3 6-4.
Wawrinka, who owns three wins on clay against Federer, drops to 0-22 on all other surfaces against the five-time BNP Paribas Open champion.
Wawrinka made no inroads on return and he never got to deuce against Federer’s serve--he won just ten return points.
“I think I felt good from the beginning,” Federer said. “I think for me the plan worked. I was able to mix up my game, cover my serve, be dangerous on the return. Maybe take some rhythm away from Stan, like I always try to do, but you can't always make it work. Tonight it worked well, so I think it was a good match for me.”
Federer broke for 4-2 in the opener and never looked back.
In the second set he broke in the third game, and cruised to the finish to set up a quarter-final with Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund.
Federer had some kind words for the British No. 1 after the match.
“I think he's a really nice guy," he said. "Trains hard. He's got good balance. Very similar backhand to Murray in some ways, also, by the technique of it. And the forehand really goes. You know, he's got some major power there. He can also serve big in the first serve. I think he's a tough player, and I think top 20 for him is just around the corner.”
Edmund might be pleased to hear of Federer’s praise for him, but he may find that the Federer he meets on court is a lot less friendly than the one that chats with reporters after matches.