Rafael Nadal becomes the first male player to reach 20 Masters 1000 finals on two different surfaces
21-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal has become the first man in tennis history to reach at least 20 Masters 1000 finals on two different surfaces.
Nadal marched into the final of the 2022 Indian Wells Masters on Saturday with a hard-fought 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory over compatriot Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals. It marked the 20th hardcourt final of the Spaniard's career at the ATP Masters 1000 level - the third most of all time.
Rafael Nadal steps up to beat his fast-advancing compatriot Carlos Alcaraz, dominating the net for a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win in more than three hours.
Having dispatched the 18-year-old phenom, Nadal will face Taylor Fritz for the Indian Wells title tomorrow. https://t.co/llYazUui1t
Only Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer have reached more ATP Masters 1000 finals on hardcourt. Djokovic has competed in 36 finals, while Federer has been to 34 finals on the surface at that level.
DID YOU KNOW❓
By reaching the final of Indian Wells this year, @RafaelNadal has become the first man to reach 20+ Masters 1000 finals on two different surfaces (20 on hard and 33 on clay).
Nadal is now a win away from tying Djokovic's record of 37 career Masters 1000 titles.
On clay, the 35-year-old has reached the most finals in history with 33 trips to the summit clash. Djokovic has participated in the second-most claycourt Masters 1000 finals, having reached 18 finals till date. Federer sits in third place with his tally of 16 finals.
The Serb could join Nadal on this list by reaching just two more Masters finals on clay. The Swiss, meanwhile, would need to play four more finals on the surface to achieve what the Spaniard has done.
Among active players, Andy Murray is the closest to the Big 3, having reached 18 finals on hardcourt and three on clay. No other player has even managed to reach 10 Masters finals on both surfaces put together.
Rafael Nadal could win a record-equaling 37th Masters title at Indian Wells
In his quest for a fourth Indian Wells title, Rafael Nadal will take on Taylor Fritz in his 53rd Masters final on Sunday. Fritz, on the other hand, will be playing his maiden Masters 1000 final after defeating an in-form Andrey Rublev in straight sets in the semifinals.
Taylor Fritz just played one of the best matches of his life: The cooler more consistent force to defeat the favored Andrey Rublev 7-5, 6-4 to reach his first Masters 1000 final.
Comes in Indian Wells: a short drive from his San Diego home
Great for him. Great for US #Tennis https://t.co/dp3t6v7BeV
A win against the American will give the 21-time Grand Slam champion his 37th Masters title, which will put him at par with Novak Djokovic's all-time record. The World No. 4 has won 26 titles on clay and 10 on hardcourt, while Djokovic has won 27 on hardcourt and 10 on clay. Roger Federer has the third-most ATP 1000 titles at 28, having won 22 on hardcourt and six on clay.
A triumph on Sunday would also make Rafael Nadal the oldest player (35 years and nine months) to have won the tournament, beating Federer's previous record (35 years and seven months).
Also Check Out: Indian Wells Masters 2022 Schedule