Down 5-2 in final set at Indian Wells, Rafael Nadal rallies past young American to stay perfect in 2022
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Make that 16-0. Barely.
Rafael Nadal got all he could handle from young American Sebastian Korda on Saturday at the BNP Paribas Open. Leading 5-2 in the third set, Korda served for the match twice, but Nadal broke him both times and escaped with a remarkable comeback victory 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (7-3).
The win came in front of a raucous full crowd at Stadium Court in Indian Wells. For most of the match, the crowd was split, but as Nadal made his furious third-set rally, the fans on hand got fully behind him.
Nadal won the first set with ease, but Korda flipped a switch in the second set. The 21-year-old American took the set 6-1 and led the third set 5-2, before Nadal turned up the pressure and Korda wavered. Korda served for the match twice, but Nadal broke him both times. Nadal won four games in a row to go up 6-5, but Korda held serve to force a deciding tiebreaker.
In the tiebreaker, Nadal showed a champion's resolve. He played mistake-free tennis while Korda made four unforced errors, and as Nadal watched the last ball by Korda sail wide, he let out a relieved yell.
How did he pull off the rally?
"I still don't know," he said to the crowd in a post-match on-court interview. "That's the fantastic thing. Being able to win that match, it doesn't matter in what way, I get to be playing again here on Monday."
Interestingly, Korda and Nadal were practice partners earlier this week, practicing on the same court they played Saturday's classic match. They played a simulated set during that practice and, ironically, it went to a tiebreaker.
Nadal reiterated that the BNP Paribas Open is one of his favorite events in the course of his year.
"Everybody knows I love it here," Nadal told the appreciative crowd. "It's amazing to play in front of all of you guys. I feel very, very lucky to be through. Honestly, Sebastian was playing some fantastic tennis. That's tennis, he is young and has an amazing future to come so I wish him all the very best."
The victory moved Nadal to a perfect 16-0 on the year. He arrived at Indian Wells having played three tournaments in 2022 and winning them all: Melbourne, The Australian Open and the Mexico Open. His fast start is made all the more impressive in that he didn't play in the final seven months of 2021, nursing a left foot injury.
With the win, Nadal, who is the No. 4 seed in Indian Wells, will next face Daniel Evans of Great Britain, the No. 27 seed on Monday. Evans beat Federico Coria 6-2, 6-0 on Saturday.
Nadal has won this event three times, but not since 2013. The last time he played here in 2019 he made it to the semifinals but had to withdraw with a right knee injury.
The 21-year-old Korda is most known for his famous sisters, Nelly and Jessica Korda, who are stars on the LPGA Tour. That may be changing soon.
Korda is rising the ATP rankings quickly. He is currently No. 40 after being No. 118 at the start of 2021.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Rafael Nadal edges Sebastian Korda at Indian Wells BNP Paribas Open
