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Associated Press

Rafael Nadal faced down the future and emerged victorious, outlasting Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to reach the BNP Paribas Open final and improve to 20-0 this year.
The 21-time major champion threw his head back, smiled and raised both arms in triumph after escaping an aggressive Alcaraz.
The 18-year-old never appeared rattled playing his vaunted countryman, who had the crowd, a 17-year advantage in age and loads of experience in his favour.
“He has all the ingredients to become an amazing champion,” Nadal said. “I don’t have many doubts that he will be great. He is already, by the way.”

Rafa doing Rafa things ☺️#IndianWells pic.twitter.com/U8KdiuN4se
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 20, 2022

Nadal’s perfect record is the third-best start to a season since 1990. He’s won titles at Melbourne, the Australian Open and Acapulco.
Nadal will meet Taylor Fritz in the final Sunday. Seeded 20th, Fritz is the first American man to make the final since John Isner in 2012 and he’ll try to be the first to win the title since Andre Agassi in 2001.
Fritz ended No 7 seed Andrey Rublev’s 13-match winning streak with a 7-5, 6-4 victory in the other semi-final. The Russian had won 13 consecutive matches since Feb. 14, including back-to-back titles at Marseille and Dubai.

Nadal staved off three break points on his serve in the fifth game of the third set and then broke Alcaraz with a forehand volley winner to go up 5-3. Nadal served out the match with a love game, punctuating the 3-hour, 12-minute struggle with a 95-mph ace.
“Rafa has thousand lives,” Alcaraz said. “If he’s down, he’s able to play at a great level in the tough moments.”
Alcaraz hit 39 winners to 20 for Nadal. The teen saved 15 of the 20 break points he faced through the first two sets, but could not stop the net-rushing Nadal who broke him to go up 4-3.
That’s when Nadal called for a trainer, who appeared to give the soon-to-be 36-year-old star an adjustment. Nadal said he was feeling pain in his left chest.
Ranked 19th in the world, Alcaraz outdueled Nadal in a second set that featured five service breaks, including four in a row.
Tied 4-all, Alcaraz broke Nadal in a game that lasted 19 minutes, 42 seconds. Nadal’s errant forehand gave Alcaraz the advantage on the seventh break point of the game. The teenager tossed up a topspin lob near the baseline that Nadal could not catch up to and Alcaraz led 5-4. He served out the set, 6-4.
“If you are playing with Rafa, you have to be calm, you have to think well in the tough moments,” Alcaraz said. “That’s what I learned in this match.”
Alcaraz got Nadal’s attention from the start, breaking him in the first game of the match. The teen survived a six-deuce game on his serve to go up 2-0. Alcaraz was gutsy throughout, charging the net on break points and often coming up with winners.
“I feel like I’m part of that level. I am part of these kind of players,” Alcaraz said. “I think I’m going to play against Rafa or the best players this year a lot.”

As the match went on, the wind grew so strong it blew the players’ white towels nearly onto the court and rattled Nadal’s perfectly aligned drink bottles that he set facing the court. Ball kids chased items that weren’t anchored down. Nadal said his eyes hurt because of sand stirred up by the wind.
In the first semi-final, Fritz came out strongly in front of a supportive crowd at the tournament where he’s been coming since he was a kid from his home near San Diego. He served a love game to open the match and then promptly broke Rublev and held again for a 3-0 lead.
Fritz took a 6-5 lead with a 112-mph ace. He broke the big-hitting Rublev after a seven-deuce game to win the set.
The Russian reacted by hitting a ball into the sky and repeatedly punching his racket strings with his right fist. Rublev needed a medical timeout before the start of the second set to tend to a bloodied hand. He later said he hurt his hand “a little bit.”


Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong opens clay-court season with first-round loss at Houston Open

Jannik Sinner powers past Jiri Lehecka to claim ‘Sunshine Double’ with Miami Open win

Tennis’ top 2 women Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina to clash again in Miami Open semi-final

Miami Open: ‘Sunshine Double’ dreams alive as Sinner breaks record, Sabalenka beats Zheng

ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals)

Indian Wells: Rafael Nadal beats Carlos Alcaraz to set up final against Taylor Fritz

Pumped up Rafael Nadal celebrates winning a point against Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz during their men’s singles semi-final. Photo: dpa

Rafael Nadal is congratulated by Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz after their men’s singles semi-final. Photo: dpa

Carlos Alcaraz in action against Rafael Nadal during their Indian Wells Masters semi-final match. Photo: dpa

Rafael Nadal beats a fired up Nick Kyrgios in explosive Indian Wells quarter-final match, goes to 19-0

Rafael Nadal plays a backhand against Nick Kyrgios during their BNP Paribas Open quarter-final match. Photo: AFP

Nick Kyrgios smashes his racket on the court during his quarter final match against Rafael Nadal. Photo: USA TODAY Sports

Rafael Nadal hits a shot in his quarter final match as he defeated Nick Kyrgios at the BNP Paribas Open. Photo: USA TODAY Sports

Unstoppable Rafael Nadal marches on, makes ATP Tour history at Indian Wells as perfect season continues

Rafael Nadal celebrates his win over Reilly Opelka at the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Photo: AFP

Reilly Opelka returns to Rafael Nadal during their match at the BNP Paribas Open. Photo: EPA-EFE

Naomi Osaka reduced to tears by heckler at Indian Wells, says comment reminded her of abuse faced by Serena and Venus Williams

Naomi Osaka cries as she speaks with WTA supervisor Clare Wood at the BNP Paribas Open. Photo: AFP

Naomi Osaka waves to the crowd as she leaves the court in Indian Wells. Photo: EFA-EPE

Veronika Kudermetova in action against Naomi Osaka. Photo: EPA-EFE

Sport

Tennis

Nadal will take on American Taylor Fritz in the final where a victory would see the 35-year-old equal Novak Djokovic’s record of 37 ATP titles
‘He has all the ingredients to become an amazing champion,’ Nadal said of his 18-year-old opponent. ‘I don’t have many doubts that he will be great’


A defiant Rafael Nadal has won an all-Spanish clash of the generations, taming teenager Carlos Alcaraz to stretch his winning streak to 20 matches and a place in the Indian Wells final.


Rafael Nadal