Nadal defeats Alcaraz to set up Indian Wells ATP final
RAFAEL Nadal battled past Carlos Alcaraz and the elements on Saturday, beating his talented young Spanish compatriot 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to book an ATP Indian Wells Masters title clash with American Taylor Fritz.
Nadal, who claimed a record-setting 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, improved to 20-0 in 2022.
The 35-year-old superstar was pushed all the way through three hours and 12 minutes by the 18-yearold aiming to follow in the footsteps of his childhood idol.
“A very tough afternoon against an amazing opponent,” Nadal said. “Mentally, I was there all the time. I fought, I believed, facing some very difficult situations during the match.
“Anything could happen, no? But I am through to the final.”
The array of shots and athleticism that have already stamped Alcaraz a star were on full display in a match that saw gusting winds buffet the players in the second set, sending debris skittering across the court and at one point forcing a readjustment of the billowing net.
His fearless start to the contest saw him take a quick 2-0 lead – fighting off five of the astonishing 17 break points he would face in the set in the second game.
Nadal won the next four games before surrendering his serve again, but he pocketed the set with another break in the 10th game.
Down 0-40, Alcaraz delivered a drop shot winner, a backhand volley winner and a service winner.
A forehand into the net gave Nadal another opportunity, which the former world No1 squandered with Nadal won his only prior meeting an easy forehand miss. He’d make no with Fritz in straight sets, in the final mistake two points later, pocketing at Acapulco in 2020. the set on his fifth opportunity. The 24-year-old American, ranked
Alcaraz again seized the initiative in 20th in the world, ended Andrey the second set with a break for a 3-2 Rublev’s 13-match ATP winning lead. streak with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over the
That launched a run of five straight world No7 in the other semi-final. breaks of serve, the last another marathon Fritz is the first American man to in which Nadal saved five break reach the Indian Wells final since John points and missed two game points Isner in 2012 and he’ll be vying to before Alcaraz finally put him away. become the first US winner since
Alcaraz, who had won just three Andre Agassi in 2001. games in his only prior career meeting Fritz is into his first elite Masters with Nadal in Madrid 10 months ago, 1000 final and in search of a second then calmly served out the set. career ATP title after his victory at
As the wind died down again, the Eastbourne in 2019. third set saw both players hitting winners The Southern California native from every quarter of the court. came out firing on all cylinders and
Nadal stepped up his attack, coming seized a 3-0 lead in just 11 minutes. to the net more in a bid to end the Firing winners off both wings and rallies. punishing Rublev’s second serve, Fritz
It was his forehand volley in the * had a chance to go up 5-1, but Rublev eighth game that gave Nadal a break and a 5-3 lead and he served it out with a love game.
“In the third I think I played much better,” Nadal said. “When the wind stopped a little bit I thought I need to play aggressive because if not Carlos is going to go for the shots and it is going to be in his hands.”
Fritz in first Masters final
managed to fight off three break points in a marathon game featuring eight deuces.
As Fritz served for the set at 5-2, Rublev broke him with a stinging service return winner to put the set back on serve, but Fritz broke again in the 12th to take the set.
In a fit of frustration after the errorstrewn set, Rublev repeatedly punched his racquet head with his right hand, opening cuts on his knuckles that apparently prompted his medical time out.
Rublev lifted his game in the second set, but after failing to convert two break chances in the ninth game Rublev gifted the American a match point when he sent an easy forehand volley long. Fritz took full advantage with another crushing service return winner.