ATP Masters Indian Wells: Finals! Strong Rafael Nadal stops Carlos Alcaraz and remains undefeated in 2022
Rafael Nadal remains undefeated in 2022! In a match that was well worth seeing for the most part, the Spaniard kept the upper hand against Carlos Alcaraz 6: 4, 4: 6 and 6: 3 and also reached the final in Indian Wells. Taylor Fritz is waiting there on Sunday.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Mar 20, 2022, 02:59 am
With less respect than Carlos Alcaraz, one could hardly have started this, the biggest semi-final for the 18-year-old to date: The Spaniard started sensationally, gave the server Nadal no air to breathe and fixed the first with a backhand cross shot worth seeing break of the game. Rafael Nadal was unimpressed by this, slowly but surely found his way into the match in the following game - but Alcaraz was able to throw four breakballs with some great variations - sometimes serve and volley, sometimes stop ball, sometimes forehand shot.
The impression remained: Nadal had now found his way into the game much better. The Spaniard then served through, made the rebreak to 15 and - again with a strong service game - went 3-2 in front for the first time in the match. Although Alcaraz continued to act at a high level, but at times made too many mistakes, Nadal acted with exactly that callousness that now simply makes a 21-time Grand Slam winner. The result: Nadal also managed the break in the following game - and thus the fourth game win in a row.
Nadal with a strong finish
A break that shouldn't last long. After a long time, Nadal allowed himself some minor lack of concentration, Alcaraz came out of nowhere to a break ball, which the 18-year-old also knew how to use with strong defensive work - 4: 3. Nadal, in turn, had four opportunities for another break immediately afterwards, but this time the 18-year-old was able to thwart all of them.
The youngster visibly had problems towards the end of the first set, especially when Nadal got three break and set balls in a row when the score was 5: 4. Alcaraz was able to thwart this again, but Nadal got stuck, won more set balls and was finally able to convert number five to win the set 6: 4. In total, the Spaniard earned 17 breakballs in round one, but was only able to use three of them.
Wind battle in set two
At the start of the second set, the action rippled along a bit, both players hardly had any problems in their service games. Up to the score of 2: 2: Rafael Nadal made a catastrophic service game - Alcaraz punished it heavily and got the first break in round two. This shouldn't last long either - with the wind getting stronger and stronger, Nadal immediately got the rebreak to 3: 3.
This series of breaks shouldn't stop in the following service game either. Now it was up to Alcaraz to take the lead again with a break. The game was now largely influenced by the gusty winds, but neither player came close to the level of the initial phase. The orgy of breaks continued happily: With another break, Nadal managed to equalize to 4: 4.
Carlos Alcaraz counters strongly
The game developed more and more into a fight, especially since there seemed to be no improvement in sight in terms of wind. In the ninth game of the second round, Nadal and Alcaraz exchanged sacrifices - after 19 minutes Alcaraz converted his seventh breakball to 5: 4. A lead that the teenager was able to transport to winning the set thanks to a strong service game. After around an hour and 15 minutes of play in the second half, the 18-year-old made it 1-1.
At the start of the third set, the wind seemed to pick up a bit, but the level increased suddenly. Especially with their own serve, Nadal and Alcaraz now acted more securely, after four games without a break it was 2: 2. What followed was a sensational, hard-fought service game - with the better end for the 35-year-old, who made it 3-2 after defending against a number of break chances.
Nadal in the final against Taylor Fritz
Alcaraz had now grooved into his service games and hardly let anything burn. Nadal, on the other hand, had to fight in almost every game, but shone in the decisive moments with an almost inhuman network coverage. And when the score was 4: 3, he found his best tennis at exactly the right time - in a slightly more careless service game Alcaraz', Nadal managed to break to 5: 3.
The 21-time Grand Slam winner should not let that go, after a little more than three hours the 35-year-old fixed the 6: 4, 4: 6 and 6: 3 success over compatriot Alcaraz. Rafael Nadal has thus further improved the best start to the season of his career so far - the Spaniard has been unbeaten for 20 matches and is also in the final of the fourth tournament of the 2022 season. In the Indian Wells final on Sunday, the American Taylor Fritz will face off, who defeated Andrey Rublev in an entertaining match.
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