World No.2 Novak Djokovic rallied to beat Roger Federer in a three-set thriller Sunday for the Indian Wells ATP Masters title.
Djokovic defeated Federer 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7-3) to capture his third title in the California desert to go with those he won in 2008 and 2011.
In the 33rd career meeting between the tennis heavyweights, Djokovic avenged a loss to 17-time Grand Slam champion Federer in the semi-finals last month at Dubai.
Federer earned his first title in nine months in Dubai and will rise from eighth to fifth in the world on the strength of reaching the Indian Wells final.
Earlier, Italy’s Flavia Pennetta routed world No.3 Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2 6-1 to win the Indian Wells WTA crown.
Pennetta, 32, claimed the biggest title of her career, needing just one hour and 13 minutes to blow past Poland’s second-seeded Radwanska, who was troubled by a left leg injury.
Pennetta’s victims in the $US12 million ($A13.35 million) combined WTA and ATP Masters tournament included world No.2 and top seed Li Na of China as well as former US Open champion Samantha Stosur.
Pennetta claimed the 10th WTA title of her career and her first since Marbella in 2010. Since then Pennetta had battled through an injury-plagued 2012 season, dropping as low as 166th in the world.
She was considering retirement before reaching the semi-finals of the US Open last year, but Pennetta, who in 2009 became the first Italian to reach the world top 10, will now make it back into the top 15 in the world.
“Last year exactly in this tournament I was thinking ‘Oh my god, I can’t play anymore,” a beaming Pennetta recalled.
“Now I am here with the trophy.”