Nadal emotional after Indian Wells triumph

Spaniard downs del Potro, claims 22nd title in an elite Masters event.

INDIAN WELLS: Rafael Nadal was an emotional man after he defeated Juan Martin del Potro 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to win his third Indian Wells ATP Masters title and cement his return from a seven-month injury layoff.

The 11-time Grand Slam champion from Spain claimed his first hard court title since 2010 and a record 22nd title in an elite Masters event.

“It is very emotional,” said Nadal. “A lot of things happened in the last seven months, to be back here and to have this trophy with me is amazing. Beating three top-10 players and winning a title like this is just unbelievable for me.”

Nadal halted the giant-killing run of seventh-ranked Argentinian Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion who defeated world number one Novak Djokovic and world number three Andy Murray en route to the final.

Sharapova routs Wozniacki

Meanwhile, in the women’s draw, Maria Sharapova peaked at just the right time to beat Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 6-2 and win her second Indian Wells WTA title.

The 25-year-old Russian, who has now moved to second in the world rankings, broke Wozniacki twice in each set en route to the victory.

“This is what I do all the work for,” she said. “You feel like everything has paid off. I think it was a tough match and a tough battle.”

Wozniacki has still never beaten a top-three player in a final.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2013.