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American Taylor Fritz stuns Rafa Nadal to clinch Indian Wells title

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American Taylor Fritz claimed the biggest paycheque of his tennis career, winning his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title by defeating Spanish stalwart Rafael Nadal 6-3, 7-6(5) in the BNP Paribas Open final on Monday (IST).

It was 21-time Grand Slam-winner Nadal’s first defeat of the 2022 season, while it was the biggest career win for the 24-year-old American, who lifted his second ATP Tour trophy.

The San Diego native, who nearly pulled out ahead of match with an ankle injury, launched a full-scale attack on the 35-year-old Nadal to deny him a record-tying 37th ATP Masters 1000 title and end his personal-best 20-match win streak this season.

After twisting his ankle in the semifinal win over Russian Andrey Rublev on Saturday, Fritz further aggravated the problem in his warm-up ahead of the final.

“I can’t even begin to describe how ridiculous it is that I was able to play how I could play today,” Fritz was quoted as saying by atptour.com. “I’ve never experienced worse pain in my life before a match.

“We did a lot of work leading up to the match and I went through a roller-coaster of emotions before the match, from thinking there was no way I could possibly play to then doing all this work on the ankle, doing so much stuff to it… I came out here and it didn’t really affect me at all.”

In fact, Fritz’s team advised him not to play the final as he risked doing irreparable damage to the ankle.

His coach Paul Annacone told Tennis Channel that, “All three of his team, me, Mike Russell and (fitness trainer) Wolfgang Oswald all said ‘Do not play this match’. He said ‘I am playing. I can do this. I want to get out on the court with Rafa and see if I can overcome.’ “

After a quick start from the American, it was Nadal who was doing all the catching up. Fritz raced to a 4-0 lead in the opener before Nadal took a medical timeout in between sets.

After leaving the court for treatment in between sets, the Spaniard edged in front in the second with the first break. But Fritz broke back immediately and then survived four break points to lead 3-2.

Fritz, playing in his first Masters 1000 final, became the first American men’s champion at Indian Wells since Andre Agassi in 2001 and the youngest Indian Wells men’s champ since Serbian Novak Djokovic in 2011.

“I’m going to have to hold back tears for every single interview I do, every single on-court speech,” Fritz added. “This is going to be tough because I’m such a happy crier.

“Winning this tournament especially, Indian Wells, this is one of those childhood dreams that you just never think can come true. I just keep saying, ‘No, no. Just no way it’s real.’ “

The victory equals Fritz’s best career win in terms of ATP Rankings, matching his result over then-World No. 4 Alexander Zverev in the 2021 Indian Wells quarters. But this was Fritz’s first win in nine matches against the ‘Big Three’ — Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic –, levelling his ATP head-to-head record at 1-1 against Nadal.

“I’ve lost these matches against the big guys my whole life,” he said. “It’s always felt like they were just unbeatable. So to do it on the biggest stage, there’s no other way. To win a big title, you’ve got to beat the best. He was unbeaten this year.

“I hope he’s OK. Obviously there’s some stuff going on. I can’t imagine how the body is feeling after 20-something matches.”

Fritz will rise to a career-high ATP Ranking of No. 13 following the win, taking the title of No. 1 American back from Reilly Opelka. Nadal will move up one spot to No. 3.

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₹136 Crore Per Year To Luxury Suite At Training Ground: All About Kylian Mbappe’s Bumper Deal At Real Madrid

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In a move that has captivated football enthusiasts worldwide, Kylian Mbappe has officially transferred from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid as of Tuesday.

This long-anticipated switch concludes months of speculation and excitement among fans.

Real Madrid’s Exciting Acquisition

Real Madrid announced on Monday that they had secured a deal with the French superstar for the next five seasons, merging one of football’s brightest talents with its most illustrious club.

This deal follows years of interest from Madrid, eager to bring in the player seen as the heir to Lionel Messi’s throne in the sport.

Financial Details of Mbappe’s Move

The 25-year-old Parisian will reportedly earn 15 million Euros net per season at Real Madrid, translating to over ₹136 crores annually. This figure breaks down to an impressive ₹2.6 crore per week.

While this is a significant reduction from the €75 million net per year he received at PSG, the shortfall will be offset by a massive signing bonus. The bonus, around €150 million, will be disbursed over the course of his contract.

Perks and Anticipated Debuts

Aside from his substantial salary, Mbappe will enjoy a private luxury suite at Real Madrid’s training facility and will sport the iconic No.9 jersey, previously worn by legendary striker Karim Benzema.

His anticipated debut for Real Madrid will occur during the preseason, with their first friendly against AC Milan at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 31.

His competitive debut is expected in the UEFA Super Cup, where Real Madrid will take on Europa League winners Atalanta in Warsaw, Poland, on August 14.

Mbappe’s Stellar PSG Legacy

Mbappe joined PSG from Monaco in 2017 for €180 million and has since become the club’s all-time leading scorer.

Throughout his seven-year tenure in Paris, he consistently demonstrated his scoring prowess, netting at least 30 goals in six of those seasons. His move to Real Madrid marks the next chapter in an already illustrious career, as he aims to further his legacy at one of the world’s most storied football clubs.

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ENG vs ESP, Euro 2024 Final: Spain Become The 1st Four-Time Champions Of Europe After Beating England 2-1 In Berlin

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Match Result:

Spain triumphed over England with a 2-1 victory in the Euro 2024 final, held in Berlin, becoming the first team to win the championship four times.

The match saw a tense first half ending goalless, but Spain took the lead shortly after the break. Williams Jr. netted the opener in the 47th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse by England.

England fought back, with Palmer leveling the score in the 73rd minute, igniting hopes for the Three Lions. However, Spain maintained their pressure, and in the 86th minute, Oyarzabal clinched the winner with a decisive strike.

This historic win cements Spain’s status as Europe’s most successful team, while England’s wait for a major international trophy continues. The final was a showcase of high-quality football and strategic mastery, ultimately seeing Spain emerge as deserved champions.

This historic win cements Spain’s status as Europe’s most successful team, while England’s wait for a major international trophy continues. The final was a showcase of high-quality football and strategic mastery, ultimately seeing Spain emerge as deserved champions.

Preview of Euro 2024 Cup final:

A strong Spanish outfit will meet a pesky England side in the final of Euro 2024 final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. Spain battled France and defeated them by 2-1 in the semi-final, while England overcame the Netherlands by the same margin.

However, it wasn’t without a contentious penalty call that went in England’s favour. Despite not starting the contest as favourites, England’s ability to hang in there could work against Spain, who are seeking a 4th Euro title. By contrast, England are yet to lift the trophy.

A crucial stat which is in favour of England is the head to head battle, which the former lead by 13-10 against Spain in 27 outings.

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Violent Clash Erupts Between Rival Supporters During Argentina vs Brazil 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers has been marred in controversy as the match between Brazil and Argentina saw violent clashes between rival supporters before the start of it. The high-profile fixture had to be delayed by 30 minutes as the Marcana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro witnessed ugly scenes, with disturbing visuals emerging on social media.

With the Brazilian and Argentinian players lining up for national anthems, the camera turned towards the stands as a section of rival fans exchanged blows. The local police officials could be seen beating up a section of Argentinian fans with batons and it did not go well with the tourists. By pointing at the violent scenes, Messi and co. decided to walk off the pitch.

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