Fritz ends Nadal’s 20-match win streak
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – American Taylor Fritz upset Rafael Nadel 6-3, 7-6 (5) Sunday to win the BNP Paribas Open and snap the 21-time major champion’s 20-match winning streak this year.
Nadal fought off a match point on his serve with a forehand winner to tie the second set 5-all. He had two break points on Fritz’s serve in the next game, but the American held for a 6-5 lead. Nadal held to force the tiebreaker.
Nadal sent two straight forehands well wide to set up Fritz’s second match point. Another Nadal error sent the 24year-old American to the biggest victory of his career.
Fritz dropped his racket and collapsed on his back.
Nadal took two medical timeouts during the match. The first one came after he lost the first set. He went inside with a trainer after tapping his upper left chest, the same area that bothered him during Saturday’s semifinals. He got treatment on court after falling behind 5-4 in the second set.
Iga Swiatek defeated Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-1 in an error-filled final to win the women’s title.
Swiatek will rise from fourth to a career-best No. 2 in the world in Monday’s WTA Tour rankings, trailing topranked Ash Barty, who skipped Indian Wells.
“Right now, it’s too surreal to describe it, honestly,” Swiatek said. “But for sure I want to go higher because I feel like getting the No. 1 is closer and closer.”
Sakkari will move from sixth to No. 3, the rising Greek star’s highest ranking yet. She equals countryman Stefanos Tsitsipas, who reached No. 3 in the ATP Tour rankings.
“I’m very proud that myself and Stefanos have actually grown tennis in Greece,” Sakkari said.
Swiatek lost each of the first three times she played Sakkari, all last year. Last month, the 20-year-old Polish player beat Sakkari in the semifinals at Doha and went on to win the title.
“Especially winning after playing so well in Doha is giving me a lot of confidence and kind of belief that I can do it because I wouldn’t think of myself as someone who’s ready to play two tournaments in a row and win it,” Swiatek said.
Swiatek earned $1.2 million .