Grades for Top Stars at Indian Wells 2015
Indian Wells didn't disappoint in the narrative stakes. For some there was unexpected glory, while for others it was the same old story. The grades that the top stars would give themselves would make for great insight.
Andy Murray reached a Masters semi-final for the first time since March 2013, but he lost out to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
Eugenie Bouchard slipped up against Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko as she attempted to build on her Australian Open quarter-final place.
The following slides will analyse the form of five of the top stars on show at Indian Wells and look to the rest of their respective seasons.
Rafael Nadal
1 of 5
Grade: C
Rafael Nadal's tournament was continuing along a familiar path when he took the first set of his clash with Milos Raonic 6-4. Then things began to unravel.
After Nadal won the first 6-4, just as he had done against Igor Sijsling and Donald Young, Raonic hit back to win two tight sets, the first on a tiebreak.
Make that another pothole on Nadal's road to recovery.
Although how long can we justifiably say the Spaniard is still recovering from his problems of 2014? A sloppy start to the year seemed to be evening out with his win in Buenos Aires.
In truth, reaching the quarter-finals in California is hardly bad form. It's just that this is the type of match Nadal was expected to win, even against a serious contender like Raonic.
Whether it is a more poignant result for Raonic will require the benefit of time. However, from his two most significant outings this season, Nadal has secured two last-eight spots. It's not yet time to consign him to an early decline.
Maria Sharapova
2 of 5
Grade: D
As missed opportunities go, Maria Sharapova will be feeling this one.
Serena Williams' semi-final withdrawal opened up the tournament to Simona Halep, Jelena Jankovic and Sabine Lisicki. The world No. 2 will know this was a golden chance to seal her first significant title of the year.
That isn't to suggest that the Russian needs Williams out of the picture to win titles, but it hardly hurts her chances if her most significant rival is not involved.
A 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 fourth-round defeat to Flavia Pennetta scuppered Sharapova's Californian hopes. Given her recent tendency to make the final at the competition—twice in three years—the odds would have been stacked in her corner.
Although Pennetta's ranking of No. 16 is not to be sniffed at, Sharapova should be able to call upon experience when all else fails.
Illness caused her to depart Acapulco early. She might find the answer to this week's exit a little more complicated.
Andy Murray
3 of 5
Grade: C+
Andy Murray has been here before this year.
With Novak Djokovic blocking his path, Murray was again unable to beat the world No. 1. In five meetings since Murray beat Djokovic at Wimbledon 2013, the Scot has lost all of them.
The scoreline was just as resounding as the previous statistic. Djokovic eased to a 6-2, 6-3 win to secure yet another Masters final spot but again left Murray revisiting old foibles.
As with Nadal, Murray saw off players that you would expect him to beat, including Vasek Pospisil and Adrian Mannarino. However, the final hurdle again seemed to be raised an inch or two to trip Murray before the final stretch.
Sky Sports reported Andre Agassi as saying Murray is a "tortured perfectionist" after he lost to Borna Coric in Dubai last month.
Given he has reached a semi-final and a final in his two biggest tournaments so far this year, the perfectionist in Murray can at least take some solace.
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Eugenie Bouchard
4 of 5
Grade: C-
It's been a slow start to the year for Eugenie Bouchard, undoubtedly the star performer for many on the women's tour last year.
Three Grand Slam semi-final appearances or better in 2014 catapulted the 21-year-old into everyone's consciousness. She also became the first Canadian to reach a Wimbledon final.
Her confidence must be sky-high for 2015, right?
Simon Cambers wrote for The Guardian that when it comes to confidence, Bouchard "is not lacking." That reserve of belief must have been tested after she slipped to a 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6 defeat to Lesia Tsurenko last week in the fourth round.
Expectations were, of course, always going to be unrealistically high. Fortunately it seems Bouchard is made to deal with pressure, none more so than the type she places on herself.
Juan Jose Vallejo wrote for Rolling Stone that second-guessing the career trajectory of young people "is always a foolhardy task."
Perhaps then despite a disappointing early exit, Bouchard should be left to continue along a path that will not be damaged by one marginal defeat.
Roger Federer
5 of 5
Grade: B
Roger Federer's defeat to Novak Djokovic in the final on Sunday leaves us perfectly poised for the remainder of the year.
Djokovic's 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-2 win was the second consecutive meeting in a final between the two this season; Federer's win in Dubai means it's one win each.
While losing to his nearest rival will not sit well with the 17-time Grand Slam winner, Federer's form throughout Indian Wells was exemplary.
Even when Milos Raonic pushed him close in the semi-finals, Federer still managed to avoid losing a set, just as he had done in the previous four rounds.
He sandwiched a strong second set in the final in between two reasonably straightforward sets for Djokovic. It would have been fascinating to have seen how Federer would have responded in the fourth had this been a Slam.
If his form continues, expect to find out sooner rather than later.
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