Nadal

Rafael Nadal falls to 1-1 in his ATP Head2Head series with Taylor Fritz. © Peter Staples/ATP Tour. ATP Staff Mar 21, 2022. Spaniard reflects on Indian Wells ...

“But in sport it’s not about talking of the past. “Of course, the past two months have have been amazing, unforgettable, very emotional. I hope to be ready for it.” Even if it's obvious that I was not able to do the normal things today... With this victory, it's a great start of the season for him. Honestly I am sad because the way I was not able to compete. But in the final it’s very, very ugly,” Nadal said. I lost against a great player.” “Even [though] I had my chances in the second set, I didn't convert too many chances. It's more about that I am suffering a little bit, honestly.” I think it's a difficult match to analyse personally from my side because I was not able to do many things.” Rafael Nadal made it very clear that his loss in the BNP Paribas Open final was a credit to Taylor Fritz’s performance above all else.

Taylor Fritz became the first American, male or female, to win the title in Indian Wells since Andre Agassi in 2001 and ended Rafa Nadal's 20-match win ...

"I don't want to get ahead of myself," Fritz said. After winning the final point and handing Nadal his first loss of 2022, Fritz fell to the ground in a mixture of celebration and disbelief. I think it's getting easier for me to just focus on playing and not think about the stats. She is the youngest player to win a handful of trophies since Caroline Wozniacki in 2009. Fritz played immediately after 20-year-old Iga Swiatek had defeated Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-1 for the women's title, their combined victories proving a new generation of tennis players had in fact very much arrived to the top of the sport and is capable of beating anyone on any given day. Fritz will rise to a career-high ranking of No. 13 on Monday and overtake Reilly Opelka as the top-ranked male player from the United States. But Swiatek has emerged, most notably alongside three-time major champion and world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, as one of the few players who can win week after week and on more than one surface. To do it here in Indian Wells, as well, the combination of all these crazy things that I never thought possible." Long considered one of the best hopes among the American men to contend for big titles, Fritz had won just once on the ATP Tour prior to Sunday at a 250-level tournament in Eastbourne in 2019. "Winning this tournament is one of those crazy childhood dreams that you really think is never going to happen," he said as the crowd roared and the tears began to fall down his face. Fritz jumped out to a commanding 4-0 lead and didn't lose a single point on serve in those opening games. And when Fritz had to abruptly end his practice on Sunday morning, wincing in pain, due to an ankle injury, many wondered if he would be able to play at all.