Rafael Nadal said he was struggling to breathe following the injury he suffered at the Indian Wells Masters. The Spaniard’s 2022 unbeaten streak was broken by Taylor Fritz in the final, succumbing 6-3, 7-6(5).
The 24-year-old became the first American to win the title since Andre Agassi in 2001. Nadal, who had to really battle throughout his campaign in the Californian desert, seemed to tweak a pectoral muscle in his semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz.
It began to cause him issues in the final as he was dominated by Fritz in the first set. After a lengthy medical timeout at the end of the set, Nadal returned reinvigorated and battled through the pain, but was unable to turn the tables and suffered defeat in a final for the first time in three years.
