Agencies
Taylor Fritz battled through excruciating pain to bring Rafa Nadal’s 20-match winning run to an end with a 6-3, 7-6(5) victory in the Indian Wells final on Sunday. According to Reuters, Fritz has become the first American to lift the title since Andre Agassi over two decades ago.
Home favourite Fritz gave fans what they came to see – an heroic effort and an American winner, denying Nadal what would have been his fourth title of the season and a record-equalling 37 ATP Masters 1000 championships.
Struggling with an injured ankle, Fritz said after collecting his second career title he had had doubts he could even take to the court and had never before experienced such pain prior to a match. But the 24-year-old American decided to gut it out and was rewarded with the biggest win of his career, fighting off the 21-time Grand Slam winner.
“This is just one of those childhood dreams you just think would never come true,” Reuters quoted Fritz as saying. “I can’t even describe how ridiculous it is how I could play today.”
