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THE TR NEWSLETTER: SATURDAY, MARCH 22, NO. 266

Fish fries flailing Federer; to meet Djokovic, who negates Nadal

Plus: Sharapova's upcoming schedule; ATP, WTA changes afoot

FROM THE PACIFIC LIFE OPEN IN INDIAN WELLS – Roger Federer has lost plenty of matches during the past 15 months, but perhaps none as stunning and the 6-3, 6-2 beat down that Mardy Fish handed him in the Pacific Life Open semis on Friday.

Fish was joined in the heavyweight winner's circle by '08 Aussie Open champ Novak Djokovic, who delivered a similar thrashing to defending champ Rafael Nadal by an identical 6-3, 6-2 score.

But while the Serb's steady, relentless, opportunistic win over the tired Nadal could have been anticipated, there's no way that anyone expected the 98th-ranked Fish – who was 0-5 against the great Swiss and had only won one set from him – could deliver such a decisive victory. With the win, it was Fish – not his higher-ranked buddies Andy Roddick or James Blake – who stopped Federer's 41-match winning streak against Americans.