INDIAN WELLS: Taylor Fritz overcame great pain to halt Rafa Nadal's 20-match winning streak in the Indian Wells final on Sunday, becoming the first American to do so since Andre Agassi over two decades ago.

Fans expected a heroic effort and an American victory from Fritz, who denied Nadal what would have been his fourth triumph of the season and a record-equaling 37 ATP Masters 1000 titles.

The biggest win of his career ⚡️@Taylor_Fritz97 beats Rafa Nadal 6-3, 7-6 at @BNPPARIBASOPEN ???? pic.twitter.com/l9WoSt5Mgx

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 21, 2022

Struggling with an ailing ankle, Fritz admitted after winning the second career title that he had misgivings about even taking the court and had never felt so much pain before a match.

But the 24-year-old American decided to fight through the pain and was rewarded with the biggest win of his career, defeating the 21-time Grand Slam winner.

"This is just one of those childhood dreams you just think would never come true," said Fritz. "I can't even describe how ridiculous it is how I could play today.

"I have never experienced worse pain in my life before a match.

"If I knew it was going to be that bad, I wouldn't have come out here. I took a couple of change-of-direction steps and screamed and honestly I was trying to act tough because I had cameras on me.

"We did a lot of work leading up to the match and I went through a rollercoaster of emotions before the match thinking there's no way I could possibly play today."

Both players were concerned about their fitness going into the final.

"Oh my gosh"

Yeah, it's a little heavy ????#IndianWells | @Taylor_Fritz97 pic.twitter.com/qKTKFNCdcI

— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 21, 2022

While Fritz was suffering with an ankle injury, Nadal was coping with a chest injury sustained during an epic three-set semi-final match against 18-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz.

"When I'm breathing, when I'm moving, it's like a needle all the time inside. I get dizzy a little bit because it's painful," Nadal said.

"It's a kind of pain that limits me a lot. It's not only about pain, I don't feel very well because it affects my breathing.

"More than sadness for the loss, (it's) something that I accepted immediately and even before the match ended... I'm suffering a little bit, honestly."

Nadal announced last week that he would not compete in the Miami Open, which takes place immediately after the Indian Wells tournament.

Fritz broke the 35-year-old Spaniard twice on his way to a 4-0 lead.

But, like he has done so many times before, Nadal refused to surrender, twice holding the serve and breaking the American to go up 5-3, sending a shiver through the crowded stadium.

Fritz would regroup and use the third break to end Nadal's rally and take a one-set lead.

Nadal called a medical timeout at the end of the first set and returned to the court with renewed vigour.

Nadal, one of the game's great battlers, forced a tie-break in the second set, but the big-serving American proved too powerful in the end.

Edited - SportsAction / Inputs - Agency