Fritz ended Nadal's streak

Ranked fourth, Nadal was undefeated before the final this year, winning twenty matches in a row - including the final of the Australian Open. However, on Sunday, Fritz, ranked 20th, proved to be better than him in two sets in a two-hour meeting.

"I wanted to go into the clay court season with a perfect balance," said the 21-time Grand Slam winner Nadal.

The 35-year-old Spanish player indicated before the match in California that his leg will never be 100 percent again, but he can handle the situation and trusts his body. On Sunday, another physical problem made it difficult for him, he said he could hardly breathe, and he still doesn't know why. He called for treatment twice during the match.

The 24-year-old Fritz won only the second tournament of his career on the ATP Tour, in addition, he is the first American champion since Andre Agassi's success in 2001 in Indian Wells, which is also referred to as the fifth GS tournament. After the final, he said that he had never felt as much pain in his life as he did before the match, because of the ankle injury he picked up in the semi-final, he almost didn't play against Nadal.

"It's simply unbelievable that I was able to play in the final. I almost screamed from the pain during the sudden changes of direction, but then we worked a lot on my ankle, and on the training ground I already felt that I would be able to play. Then during the match, the injury didn't even hold me back. It's unbelievable!" - said the tennis player, adding: his childhood dream came true by being able to win in Indian Wells as a Californian, and for now he cannot even comprehend what he accomplished.

Result:

men, $8.5 million (HUF 2.7 billion) total prize money:

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finals:

Fritz (American, 20th)-Nadal (Spain, 4th) 6:3, 7:6, (7-5)

(Source: Source: sportrajongo.hu, mti/Photo: pixabay, mti)