Indian Wells Masters 2022 final: 3 Things that stood out in Taylor Fritz's win over Rafael Nadal
20th seed Taylor Fritz of the USA won the Indian Wells Masters title by beating 4th seed Rafael Nadal of Spain 6-3, 7-6(5) on Sunday. The American picked up his maiden Masters 1000 title while also denying Nadal a record-equaling 37th title at this level.
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@Taylor_Fritz97 pulled an upset for the ages, defeating three-time champion Rafael Nadal 6-3, 7-6(5) on Sunday
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The match lasted a little more than two hours and tested the physical limit of the two players, both of whom appeared to be struggling with injuries.
On that note, let’s take a look at the three factors that stood out in the match:
#1 Taylor Fritz got off to a flying start and won the first set quite easily
If there were any injury concerns for the American, they were hardly visible during the initial part of the first set. Fritz was quick to open up a 4-0 lead and did not lose a single point on serve over the first four games.
Nadal struggled to recover from the initial blow but managed to get a break back. However, Fritz maintained his composure and was able to win the first set. The American’s forehand did the trick for him in the first set as he was able to trouble Nadal repeatedly. The Spaniard looked a bit jaded and uncharacteristically struggled to stay in the longer rallies.
#2 Rafael Nadal struggled to convert break point opportunities
Nadal tried to come back strong in the second set and managed to get a break in the third game. However, Fritz broke back in the very next game to level the score and seize the initiative from the Spaniard. Rafael Nadal again got a series of break point opportunities in the following game, but let the American off the hook.
Rafael Nadal again got a break point opportunity with the score at 4-4, but Fritz played aggressive tennis to win the point.
In the end, Nadal could only convert two of the ten break point opportunities he got in the match, while Fritz converted four out of nine. That ultimately made the difference as the second set went to a tie-break, which the American won.
#3 Rafael Nadal’s forehand was not at its best
adal’s forehand, which helps him dictate rallies and win points so often, was not at its usual best. The Spaniard kept hitting the ball wide and allowed Fritz to win some easy points.
Nadal committed 26 unforced errors in the match, with the majority coming off his forehand. Meanwhile, Fritz committed 22 unforced errors and hit 21 winners against Nadal’s 23.
Moreover, the Spaniard could only win 56% of his first-serve points, whereas Fritz managed a respectable 69%. The American was ahead on most of the important parameters and was the deserving winner of the Indian Wells Open.