LIVE: Federer, Thiem Clash For Indian Wells Crown

Roger Federer and Dominic Thiem are battling for the BNP Paribas Open title, with plenty at stake for both competitors. It’s a duel in the desert for ATP Masters 1000 glory.

The first Masters 1000 shield of the year is up for grabs in Indian Wells, with Federer seeking a record sixth title in the California desert. He is currently tied with Novak Djokovic atop the leaderboard at the prestigious hard-court tournament. In addition, the Swiss is eyeing a 101st tour-level title and 28th at the Masters 1000 level.

On the other side of the net, Thiem is targeting his maiden moment in the Masters 1000 spotlight. Appearing in his third final, he previously came up short against Rafael Nadal at the 2017 Mutua Madrid Open and to Alexander Zverev last year in the Spanish capital.

Tied at two wins apiece, Sunday’s champion will earn bragging rights in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. Federer most recently prevailed at the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals, while Thiem took the previous two encounters.

More to come…