Juan Martin del Potro ended world number one Roger Federer’s 17-match unbeaten run to claim the BNP Paribas Open title at Indian Wells.
The eighth-ranked Argentine beat the Swiss 6-4 5-7 (8-10) 7-6 (7-2) in a thrilling encounter.
Federer had been searching for a record sixth title in California, but it was Del Potro who powered to his first ATP Masters 1000 title.
He is the first player to beat Federer in 2018.
Del Potro saved three match points before closing out victory in two hours 42 minutes.
The 29-year-old has been hampered by wrist problems in recent years and has had three operations which left him struggling to use his backhand.
But he has made a strong start to 2018, winning his first ATP 500 title for five years at Acapulco earlier in March and returning to the world’s top 10.
Cheered on by the crowd, Federer thought he had forced a deciding set with a serve out wide, but a Del Potro challenge showed it to be out and the Swiss then double faulted for 6-6.
Federer had to save a championship point after some superb, quick serves from Del Potro and then finally closed out the set on his fifth attempt.
Del Potro complained to the umpire at the changeover about the noise from a crowd that was largely supporting Federer in an increasingly feisty encounter.
It was Federer who broke first in a tight final set to serve for the match but Del Potro saved two championship points and thrashed a forehand through the Swiss to put the match back on serve at 5-5.
Both players held serve for a decisive tie-break but a combination of loose serving from Federer and some powerful returns from Del Potro saw the Argentine secure victory at the third attempt.
“It’s difficult to describe with words. It’s like a dream,” Del Potro said.
“After all my problems, after all my surgeries, I couldn’t believe I’m here winning a Masters 1000 and beating Roger. It’s amazing.”
In the women’s category, Naomi Osaka claimed the biggest title of her career as she defeated fellow 20-year-old Daria Kasatkina 6-3 6-2 in the BNP Paribas Open final at Indian Wells.
The Haitian-Japanese had beaten Maria Sharapova and world No 1 Simona Halep this week and recovered from a shaky start in Sunday’s showpiece to defeat the 20th seed to become the first unseeded champion at the event since Kim Clijsters in 2005.
Osaka dropped her serve in the opening game but rarely faltered thereafter as she sealed victory in 70 minutes against an opponent who had beaten four major champions, Sloane Stephens, Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber and Venus Williams, en route to the final.
Osaka told media after the match: “I was extremely stressed and extremely nervous, but my plan was to fake that I’m very calm.
“I just knew that she was going to fight for every point, too, so I couldn’t afford to lose points based on nerves, and I had to keep making the right decisions.”
“She was much better today than me, so she really deserved to win,” Kasatkina said. “Of course, we were both nervous at the beginning, because the biggest finals so far. But during the match, she was able to manage her nerves and stuff, and I was still a little bit tight during the match. So it is what it is.”
(BBC news/Skyport)
