Rafael Nadal made his Masters 1000 debut as a qualifier in Monte Carlo 2003, nonetheless at 16. The younger Spaniard toppled two rivals to succeed in the third spherical and create a memorable begin on the ATP premium sequence. Nineteen years later, Rafa is without doubt one of the most adorned gamers on the Masters 1000 stage, scoring over 400 victories and lifting 36 trophies from 53 finals!
Nadal’s first outstanding Masters 1000 outcomes got here in 2005 when he conquered 4 titles from 5 finals. 12 months after 12 months, the Spaniard was in competition for at the very least one Masters 1000 title, advancing into at the very least one remaining in 17 totally different seasons to match Roger Federer’s file!
Since 2005, Rafa didn’t play a Masters 1000 remaining solely in 2020, extending his legacy and making a robust begin within the present season at 35. Nadal kicked off his twentieth Masters 1000 marketing campaign with the Indian Wells remaining, securing his 53rd title match at this stage and becoming a member of Roger on the unique file.
Rafael Nadal has performed in a Masters 1000 remaining in 17 totally different seasons.
Rafa got here to Indian Wells with an ideal 15-0 file in 2022, successful Melbourne, the Australian Open and Acapulco and searching for the primary trophy within the desert since 2013.
The Spaniard needed to work onerous proper from the opening match, trailing 5-2 within the decider towards the younger American Sebastian Korda earlier than prevailing within the tie break and avoiding an early setback. Nadal broke Daniel Evans 3 times in a 7-5, 6-3 victory for a spot within the fourth spherical, and issues didn’t turn out to be any simpler for a three-time champion.
Nadal prevailed over a hard-hitting American Reilly Opelka in two tie breaks to advance into the quarter-final, the place he confronted Nick Kyrgios. Nadal scored a hard-fought 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 triumph in two hours and 46 minutes, delivering an important break within the decider’s recreation seven to stay on the title course.
Within the match of the event, Rafa ousted the man Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in three hours and 12 minutes within the semi-final. The wind prompted them bother, however they produced top-class tennis and pushed one another to the boundaries from begin to end.
Fighting a left rib damage, Nadal discovered a option to seal the deal within the remaining set and discover himself within the 53rd Masters 1000 remaining, 17 years after the primary one! Combating for the thirty seventh Masters 1000 crown, Rafa suffered a 6-3, 7-6 loss to Taylor Fritz in two hours and 6 minutes, lacking his probabilities within the second set and spraying too many errors to expertise the season’s first loss. 
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