3 times when Roger Federer blinked on the cusp of a title

#2 Indian Wells Masters Final, 2018

Lost to Juan Martin Del Potro 4-6, 7-6(8), 6-7(2)

Juan Martin Del Potro (right) wins his 1st Masters 1000 title at 2018 Indian Wells.

In one of the matches of the 2018 season, Juan Martin del Potro met five-time champion Roger Federer in the title match of the Indian Wells Masters.

An aggressive Federer, trying to make a swift start, fired winners and unforced errors galore as del Potro took a one set lead. A pumped up Federer saved break points on serve in the first game of the second which went to a tie-break where del Potro had a look at a championship point on the Federer serve at 7-8.

Distraught at missing the opportunity on his potent forehand side, del Potro dropped the second set and then fell behind by a break in the third as Federer, serving for the title, arrived at 5-4 and 40-15. But this time it was del Potro's turn to save championship points, who saved two consecutive ones and then a third to move back on serve.

In the ensuing tie-break, Federer leaked two double faults as del Potro sealed the biggest title of his career and prevented his Swiss rival from breaking a tie with Novak Djokovic (5) for most titles at the tournament. In the process, the tall Argentinian extended his record in tour-level finals against Federer to 4-2 as the then world no.1 lost for the first time in 18 matches that season.

Earlier in the season, Federer lifted titles at the Australian Open and Rotterdam and arrived at his 8th Indian Wells final to produce his best start to a season (17-0).