Well it looks like finally the curse is broken. Taylor Fritz becomes the first American ATP player to win Indian Wells in over twenty years, with the last person being a 30-year old Andre Agassi who won it back in 2001!
Fritz won it in impressive style by defeating Rafael Nadal 6-3 7-6 (5), whilst simultaneously ending the Australian Open champion's twenty match unbeaten streak!
Both men entered this final carrying injuries from the semi final, Fritz, only just saw out his match with Andrey Rublev whilst hobbling on a bad ankle, and Rafa, suffering with another ailment, this time being chest & back pains from a newly announced fractured rib injury.
Despite the pain these two warriors still continued to fight until the bitter end and Taylor ended up prevailing as the victor to secure his highest award to date, with his only other tournament victory coming on grass in an ATP250 event in Eastbourne in 2019, and making Nadal suffer a straight sets defeat for the first time since May last year in the Madrid final against Zverev.
Both finalists stock increased in this tournament, with Nadal overtaking Zverev to take the third place ranking and this year's Indian Wells champion is now up to thirteenth in the ATP rankings and knocking on the door of the top ten. Surely it is a matter of when and not if Taylor Fritz cracks the top ten now. He has all the tools to defeat the best on the tour.