Rafa Nadal is ready to play his next tournament, the Indian Wells Masters 1000, of which he has been champion three times (2007, 2009 and 2013). The Spanish tennis player, undefeated this season, already knows what his possible path will be in California, where he will debut in the second round against Sebastian Korda or a player from the previous one. Find out who are Nadal’s possible rivals in Indian Wells 2022.
Everything is ready for the start of the Masters 1000 tour of the season, which will have its first stop in Indian Wells -from March 10 to 20-. The Californian tournament has made the draw for the main draw and Rafa Nadal , fourth racket on the circuit, has fallen at the top of it. The Spaniard is the rival to beat after his great start to the season with three new titles under his belt. Due to his status as seeded, the man from Manacor is exempt from the first round and will have as his first rival the winner of the duel between Sebastian Korda and a player from the previous round, yet to be designated.
It has not been an easy draw for Rafa Nadal in Indian Wells . Apart from a possible debut with Korda, one of the young talents on the circuit, the Spaniard has several difficult rivals in his way. In the third round the British Daniel Evans would appear, while in the round of 16 Denis Shapovalov or the slugger Railly Opelka are emerging as possible rivals.
In a hypothetical quarter-final, Nadal could face Casper Ruud or Jannik Sinner, again two of the young tennis players on the circuit who have been going strong. In the semifinals, the Spaniard could meet again with Daniil Medvedev, who will defend his number one status in the tournament for the first time. That as long as Carlos Alcaraz does not surprise, who goes through the same part of the table and that, if he goes through rounds, he could have a fratricidal duel with the Balearic in the semifinals. Only in a hypothetical final could Nadal face Novak Djokovic, always waiting for the Serbian to receive the definitive approval for his participation in Indian Wells.
When does Nadal play in Indian Wells?
After missing the 2021 edition and having to withdraw due to a knee injury before taking to the court in the semi-finals in 2019, Rafa Nadal returns to Indian Wells , a tournament he has won three times and in which he has high hopes this season. After his great start to the year, the Spaniard, number 4 in the ATP , is chasing his fourth title in California, where he has been training for several days.
Nadal is exempt from the first round, so he is not expected to take the court until Saturday. He will do so to face the winner of the match between Sebastian Korda, a 21-year-old American and number 38 in the ATP, or a player from the previous one. The organization of the tournament will determine the order of play of the matches the day before, divided into two sessions: one during the day at 8:00 p.m. Spanish time (11:00 a.m. local time) and another in a night session at 03:00 p.m. 00 Spanish time (18:00 local time).
