Rafael Nadal has always enjoyed competing in the Indian Wells tennis tournament. At the age of 17, he reached the third round, and at 19, he made it to the semi-finals. Throughout his career, Nadal has won three titles at this event, with his most cherished victory coming in 2013. This particular year was significant for Nadal as he had just returned to the court after an eight-month absence due to a left knee injury.
After his long break, Nadal made a triumphant comeback on the hard court, defeating top players such as Roger Federer, Tomas Berdych, and Juan Martin del Potro to claim the emotional title. This win marked his first significant ATP title since his victory at Roland Garros the previous June, sending a clear message to his competitors that he was back in top form.
Following his success at the 2012 Roland Garros, Nadal faced early exits on grass and decided to end his season after Wimbledon. He then focused on making a fresh start in 2013. Nadal’s return to the ATP tour began in Vina del Mar, where he reached the final but lost to Horacio Zeballos. However, he quickly regained his form in Sao Paulo and Acapulco, winning both tournaments and gaining confidence before Indian Wells.
In the quarter-finals of the Indian Wells tournament, Nadal faced his greatest rival, Roger Federer, and emerged victorious with a dominant performance. He then defeated Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals, securing his place in the final. The final match was a thrilling encounter against Juan Martin del Potro, with Nadal eventually triumphing with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory. This win marked Nadal’s 22nd Masters 1000 title at the age of 26, further solidifying his status as the king of clay.
Interestingly, this victory was Nadal’s first ATP title on a hard court since 2010, setting the stage for a successful hard-court season. His achievement also made him the third player in the tournament’s history to win it three times, joining Michael Chang and Roger Federer. Despite a slow start in the final, Nadal staged an impressive comeback, winning 12 of the final 17 games to secure the victory. He displayed strong numbers behind his second serve and made fewer unforced errors compared to his opponent. Del Potro fought hard and denied many break points, but Nadal’s superior performance ultimately led him to victory.
In the tabloid format, the Argentine player had a slight advantage in the shortest exchanges due to his powerful serve and initial forehand. On the other hand, the Spaniard dominated the longer rallies, ultimately securing the victory in that aspect of the game.
Rafa managed to break his opponent’s serve in the second game of the match with a forehand shot down the line, and he held his own serve in the following game, taking a 3-0 lead. Juan Martin faced some difficulties with his serve in the fourth game but managed to hold on with a forehand winner, finally getting on the scoreboard.
In the fifth game, the Argentine player managed to break back with a return winner and held his serve at 15 in the next game with an unreturnable serve, leveling the score at 3-3. This gave him a much-needed boost. Juan Martin then secured another break in the ninth game, capitalizing on Rafa’s forehand error, and served for the set at 5-4.
Del Potro sealed the first set with a winning volley, wrapping it up in 53 minutes and moving one step closer to his first Masters 1000 title.
Buoyed by this success, the Argentine player started the second set strongly, breaking his opponent’s serve at the beginning and winning the next game as well, taking a 6-4, 2-0 lead. Nadal improved his forehand and served better in the following games, looking for opportunities to break back.
Those opportunities came in the sixth game when he managed to regain the break after del Potro hit a loose forehand, bringing the score to 3-3 and initiating his comeback. The Spaniard held his serve comfortably in the seventh game with a forehand winner, taking the lead.
In the eighth game, Rafa hit a forehand winner down the line, earning a break chance, which Juan Martin saved with a forehand winner of his own. However, Nadal capitalized on another break chance with a forehand winner, securing a 5-3 advantage. The Spaniard fired three winners in the ninth game, closing out the set with a score of 6-3 after serving an ace, forcing a decisive third set after an hour and 36 minutes.
Del Potro survived the opening game of the final set but then made an error, netting a volley at 1-1, which gave Nadal two break chances. Rafa hit a forehand winner on the first chance, taking the lead and moving closer to victory. He solidified his advantage with a service winner in the fourth game, establishing a 3-1 lead.
They maintained their service game flawlessly in the subsequent two games, and Rafa replicated this in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead. The Spaniard delivered a powerful forehand winner in the ninth game, resulting in three opportunities to secure the victory.
The Argentine valiantly defended against these match points with aggressive shots and cleverly executed a drop shot to hold his serve, narrowing the gap to 5-4. Rafa then served for the championship in the tenth game, hitting two winners and earning two more match points. Nadal capitalized on the first one, sparking a jubilant celebration as he claimed an emotionally charged title after enduring setbacks in the previous eight months.
“In 2013, my most cherished memory from Indian Wells was winning the tournament against Juan Martin del Potro. It held a special significance for me as I had overcome a serious knee injury and returned to the hard-court circuit after a year-long absence. Following an eight-month hiatus, I made my comeback on clay before deciding to participate in Indian Wells.
At that time, I was uncertain whether it was wise to compete in Indian Wells, as medical professionals had advised me to avoid hard courts and allow my knee to rest. Nevertheless, I chose to enter the tournament, aiming for a couple of victories. I wanted to test my mental fortitude on the hard court, and unexpectedly, I emerged as the champion. It was an incredibly emotional and memorable moment,” shared Rafael Nadal.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org