Taylor Fritz downs Rafael Nadal for 'dream' title in Indian Wells

Taylor Fritz powered past Rafael Nadal, 6-3, 7-6(5), to earn a pair of career-defining firsts on Sunday in the BNP Paribas Open men's singles final. Playing in his home tournament, the Southern California product won his first ATP Masters 1000 title and scored his first win over a member of the 'Big 3.'

He also ended Rafael Nadal's perfect start to the 2022 season, dropping the 21-time Grand Slam champion to 20-1 on the year.

"This is seriously like a childhood dream come true, like a wild dream you never expect to actually happen. It really hasn't even sunk in," Fritz said, fighting back tears.

The 24-year-old is the first American man to win the BNP Paribas Open since Andre Agassi in 2001, and the youngest man to win in Indian Wells since Novak Djokovic in 2011.

Fritz's fast start belied his hectic preparations, as he raced to a 4-0 lead with an explosive opening sequence that pinned Nadal on the back foot.

After Nadal left the court for a medical timeout, the second set was a much tighter affair. Fritz instantly recovered an early break, then saved four break points at 2-all and another at 4-all.

The American produced one of the shots of the match to save the third break point in that 2-all game, batting a reflex volley past a charging Nadal after a lightning exchange with both men at the net. But it was from the baseline where Fritz did most of his damage in the contest, his forehand firing on all cylinders as he hit 21 winners.

"Since the last edition of this tournament, it's been the forehand that's really been clicking for me. Just being able to unload and trust it," he said.

"It used to be a shot that would just misfire, almost lose me matches. Now it's like I can trust it no matter what to really pull the trigger on a big point, get extra free points."

Unable to match him for power, Nadal opted to counterpunch as he battled deep into the second set. Fritz saw a championship point go begging at 5-4, then trailed by a mini-break late in the breaker. But he won the last three points in a row, capped with a classic serve-forehand, one-two punch, before collapsing to the court in celebration.