American Taylor Fritz caused the first defeat to the Spaniard Rafael Nadal since the beginning of 2022, winning the final of the Indian Wells Open in two sets 6-3 and 7-6 (5) on Sunday.
Nadal saw his first defeat in the perfect record of 20-0 since the beginning of the year. Fritz also tricked Andrey Rublev in the semifinals, ending Rublev’s 13-win streak.
“It is an honor to be on the same pitch as him,” Fritz told the crowd after his victory. “I grew up watching this guy win everything.”
Fritz becomes the first American player to triumph in the California desert after the great Andre Agassi in 2001.
The fifth player Nadal saved a match point while serving with forehand blisters to equalize 5-5 in the second set. Then, in the next game, he offered himself two break points, but the young American kept the lead with 6-5. Nadal then forced the tie break.
In the tiebreak, the Spaniard sent two consecutive forwards out of line to give Fritz a second point. This time, another mistake by Nadal was too much and the 24-year-old American was able to celebrate the most important victory of his career.
Fritz watched this tournament as a child when the San Diego native accompanied his parents Guy Fritz and Kathy May, two former professional players.
“Winning this tournament is the realization of one of those crazy childhood dreams that you think you will never see come true,” he said on the sidelines on the sidelines of the trophy.
Both players were not in top form for this league duel. Nadal needed two timeouts to receive medical treatment during the match. He seemed particularly unconscious from the pain on the left side of his abdomen. An injury that had already plagued him in the semifinals.
“When I try to breathe, it’s painful and very uncomfortable. It’s like a needle constantly piercing me inside. I come even a little dizzy so much that it hurts. “It’s a pain that limits me a lot,” the 35-year-old veteran described.
“What worries me right now is what is happening, what I need to do to recover and how long it will take,” he continued.
Fritz also recovered from an ankle injury he suffered at the end of his semifinal match, but that did not stop him from winning.
In his 20-game winning streak at the Australian Open, as well as the Melbourne and Acapulco tournaments, Nadal looked rather proud.
“Of course, the last two months have been incredible, unforgettable and full of emotions,” he said. I have the opportunity to live moments that I did not think I would live again just a few months ago “.
Nadal has already planned to miss the next tournament in Miami in order to return directly to Spain to prepare for Roland Garros. The grand slam in the dirt is going to start on May 22nd.
Male winners:
2022: Taylor Fritz (USA)
2021: Cameron Norrie (GBR)
2020: canceled due to pandemic
2019: Dominic Thiem (AUT)
2018: Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG)
2017: Roger Federer (SUI)
2016: Novak Djokovic (SRB)
2015: Novak Djokovic (SRB)
2014: Novak Djokovic (SRB)
2013: Rafael Nadal (ESP)
The most successful players in the history of Indian Wells:
1. Roger Federer (SUI) 5 (2004, 2005, 2006, 2012, 2017)
. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 5 (2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016)
3. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 3 (2007, 2009, 2013)
