Resurgent Federer adds to Indian Wells buzz

AFP, Indian Wells :
Roger Federer will seek to back up his Dubai title win on Saturday with a record fifth Indian Wells crown starting this week which if successful would be his 79th career title.
Federer, though, will face a top class field with defending champion Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic as the top seeds.
The $12 million ATP and WTA hardcourt event begins on Wednesday for the women-where Maria Sharapova is the defending champion-and Thursday for the men.
Federer won titles at Indian Wells from 2004-2006 and again in 2012 and showed top form in reaching the Australian Open semi- finals and taking his sixth Dubai crown which included beating Djokovic in the semi-finals and coming from behind to beat Tomas Berdych in the final.
“I think this is how you win your first title again after a while, and then hopefully from here on it’s easier, especially closing out,” Federer said.
“There is a lot of pressure. Sometimes I have been disappointed with my play when it really mattered. I was able to deliver when I had to. I was able to come up with the goods. It was one of those tournaments I kind of need this way right now.”
The 32-year-old Swiss star will have Stefan Edberg with him as coach, one of four former Indian Wells winners on hand to guide others, with Michael Chang helping Japan’s Kei Nishikori, Boris Becker working with Djokovic and Ivan Ljubicic coaching Canada’s Milos Raonic.