Record Alert: Rafael Nadal becomes the first man to win 400 ATP-1000 matches, ties another Roger Federer record
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Rafael Nadal
World No. 4 Rafael Nadal continues to enjoy the 2022 season as he moves into the 4th round of the 2022 Indian Wells Masters. Up against Daniel Evans, Nadal won the match 7-5, 6-3 in 1 hour and 43 minutes to make his 13th qualification in the Round of 16 of the ‘5th Grand Slam of Tennis.’
After surviving an almost defeat in the second round against Sebastian Korda, it was a more controlled performance by the Spaniard who was broken in the match only once in the first set and was a break down. He however went on to convert 3 of his 4 breakpoints to beat the Brit and keep his streak of not losing a set against him intact in their 3 matches so far.
With the win, Nadal is now the first man ever to win 400 matches in the ATP-1000 Masters tournaments. The Spaniard won his first Masters match in the 2003 Monte Carlo Masters at the age of 17 and 19 years later he is now the only man with 400 wins in the highest tier of the Tour events. “I didn’t know at all about that,” said Nadal after his win over Evans when he was informed of the record he created.
After Nadal, it is Roger Federer with 381 wins tailed closely by Novak Djokovic with 374 wins. Andy Murray is on the 4th spot with 219 wins and Andre Agassi sits on the 5th spot with 209 wins.
Rafael Nadal makes the 3rd best start in history
With his win over Evans, Nadal is now 17-0 for the season, extending his record of the best start he has ever made. His 17th win of the season ties him with Federer(2017) and Pete Sampras(1997) and is now on the 3rd spot in the list for the best start on the ATP Tour. Djokovic occupies the top two spots with a 41-0 streak in 2011 and a 26-0 steak in 2020.
If Nadal manages to defeat his 4th round opponent Reilly Opelka, he will overtake Federer and Sampras to be alone on the 3rd spot in the list of the best start to a season. Nadal’s hopes to match Djokovic will however be a long shot but not impossible as after the Indian Wells he will play directly on Clay which is his forte. So if he manages to take home the Indian Wells title, he stands a good chance at Djokovic’s record.
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Sarthak Shitole
(3462 Articles Published)