By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
It might be the biggest singles tournament victory by an American man in 15 years.
Taylor Fritz, ranked No. 20, defeated 21-time major champion Rafael Nadal 6-3, 7-6 (5) to win the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, regarded as perhaps the biggest event outside of the four Grand Slam tournaments.
The win was the first by an American man at Indian Wells since Andre Agassi in 2001 and only the third time an American man has won a “Masters 1000” level tournament since 2006. But while John Isner won the Masters 1000 event in Miami in 2018 and Jack Sock won the Masters 1000 title in Paris in 2017, this victory for Fritz seems to be a bigger deal.
Isner’s win in Miami came when he was 33 years old so it seemed more like a “crowning achievement” with most of his career behind him, unlike Fritz, who is 24 with most of his career ahead of him, including many opportunities to try to break the 19-year American men’s Grand Slam tournament victory drought. Just about six months before Isner’s win in Miami, Sock was the unexpected winner of the Paris Masters 1000 event, which is probably the least regarded at the Masters 1000 events and he only had to beat Julien Benneteau in the semifinals and Filip Krajinovic in the final. Isner also did not have beat any of the “Big Three” of men’s tennis – Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic – to win in Miami. Fritz, however, not only had to beat Nadal in the final, but overcame an ankle injury suffered in his pre-match practice session that prompted his coaching staff to recommend he not even play in the final. Fritz pushed through and played remarkable offensive tennis against Nadal, who had not lost a match this season with a 20-0 record and fresh off winning the Australian Open for his record-breaking 21st major singles title.
American Men In Masters 1000 Finals Since 2006
2021 Toronto – Reilly Opelka lost to Daniil Medvedev
2019 Miami – John Isner lost to Roger Federer.
2018 Miami – John Isner defeated Alexander Zverev
2017 Paris – Jack Sock defeated Filip Krajinovic
2016 Paris –John Isner lost to Andy Murray
2013 Cincinnati – John Isner lost to Rafael Nadal.
2012 Indian Wells – John Isner lost to Roger Federer
2011 Montreal – Mardy Fish lost to Novak Djokovic
2010 Cincinnati – Mardy Fish lost to Roger Federer
2010 Indian Wells – Andy Roddck lost to Ivan Ljubicic
2008 Indian Wells – Mardy lost to Novak Djokovic
2007 Cincinnati – James Blake lost to Roger Federer
2006 Cincinnati – Andy Roddick defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero
2006 Indian Wells – James Blake lost to Roger Federer
