Tue, Mar 22, 2022 page16

• Fritz ends Nadal’s win streak to lift Indian Wells title

  • AP, INDIAN WELLS, California
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  Hours from playing in the biggest final of his young career, Taylor Fritz was in severe pain. The prospect of having to withdraw against Rafael Nadal nearly had him in tears.

  His coach urged him not to potentially risk damaging his sore ankle further. Fritz stubbornly refused to bow out.

  His faith in himself paid off.

  

  Taylor Fritz of the US returns to Spain’s Rafael Nadal in the BNP Paribas men’s singles final in Indian Wells, California, on Sunday.

  Photo: AFP

  Fritz on Sunday upset Nadel 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) to win the BNP Paribas Open and snap the 21-time major champion’s 20-match winning streak this year.

  “It was a complete non-issue, didn’t feel it at all, didn’t hinder me at all,” said Fritz, who tweaked his ankle late in his semi-final win over seventh seed Andrey Rublev.

  Blue medical tape could be seen above his high sock and he had the ankle numbed before the final.

  Nadal had his own health issue.

  He went into the match bothered by painful breathing that he first experienced in a three-set semi-final win.

  He took two medical timeouts during the final. The first one came after he lost the first set. Nadal went inside with a trainer after tapping his chest. He got treatment on court after falling behind 5-4 in the second set.

  “When I try to breathe, it’s painful and it’s very uncomfortable. It’s like a needle all the time inside. I get dizzy a little bit because it’s painful. It’s a kind of pain that limit me a lot,” said Nadal, who turns 36 in June. “The thing that worries me now, it’s about what’s going on there, what I have to do now to recover and how long [its] going to take.”

  Nadal’s 20-0 start to the year included the Australian Open, his 21st major championship. He also won titles in Melbourne, Australia, and Acapulco, Mexico.

  “Of course, the last two months have have been amazing, unforgettable, very emotional,” Nadal said. “I enjoy things that I never thought I could live again a few months ago.”

  In an error-filled women’s singles final, Iga Swiatek defeated Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-1.

  The 20-year-old Polish player and Fritz earned US$1.2 million each for their victories.

  Fritz did not waste any time in attacking Nadal, racing to a 5-1 lead in the first set with two breaks. Nadal got a break back in closing to 5-3, but his backhand error gave Fritz another break and the set.

  “It’s an honor to even be on the same court as this guy,” Fritz told the crowd. “I grew up watching this guy win everything.”

  Nadal fought off a match point on his serve with a forehand winner to tie the second set 5-5. 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 Fritz to the biggest victory of his career not far from where he grew up near San Diego.

  Fritz’s parents, Guy Fritz and Kathy May, are former players.

  “He [dad] told me that I was going to win this tournament one day when I was a little kid,” Taylor Fritz said. “It was pretty tough not being emotional with my parents, especially my dad. He was just really, really proud of me. It’s really tough to get a compliment out of him.”

  Taylor Fritz dropped his racket and collapsed on his back after clinching the title on his second match point. He became the first American man to win Indian Wells since Andre Agassi in 2001.

  “I just kept telling myself there’s no reason why I can’t win this,” Taylor Fritz said.

  Swiatek rose from fourth to a career-best No. 2 in the world in yesterday’s WTA Tour rankings, trailing top-ranked Ash Barty, who skipped Indian Wells.

  “Right now, it’s too surreal to describe it, honestly, but for sure I want to go higher because I feel like getting the No. 1 is closer and closer,” Swiatek said.

  Swiatek has five career titles, including the 2020 French Open. She is 5-0 in her past five finals, losing only a combined 16 games. Her new ranking equals the highest ever by a Polish player, matching Agnieszka Radwanska.
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