Rafael Nadal has records in sight ahead and he looks to extend perfect start at BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells

Rafael Nadal has the chance to post one of the best-ever starts to a tennis season at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. Nadal, 35, is 15-0 for the year after winning the Melbourne Summer Set, Australian Open and Mexican Open. Ad/> He has the opportunity to win a further six matches at Indian Wells, which is the first Masters 1000 event of the season and starts on Thursday, March 10.

Tennis'Federer is done in the GOAT talk' — Kyrgios2 HOURS AGO Just three more victories would see him move up into third place for the longest unbeaten start to a season in the Open era. Only Novak Djokovic has enjoyed better starts to a season after going 26-0 in 2020 and 41-0 in 2011. “The way I’ve started the season is a dream,” Nadal said at the Mexican Open.

“We believed that my career was not going to be that long and it is true that I have had physical problems. It is incredible that in 2022, I continue to compete as I am doing. I am enjoying myself to the fullest and let’s see how long it lasts.” Thiem withdraws from Indian Wells Federer reveals plan to return later this year Roger Federer’s best start to a season was going 17-0 in 2018 while Pete Sampras did the same in 1997.

Nadal has also won his last 11 finals in a row, dating back to the 2019 Australian Open final when he was beaten in straight sets by Djokovic. That’s the third-longest streak of consecutive wins in finals behind Nadal’s run of 14 from Monte Carlo in 2005 to the French Open in 2006, and Federer’s run of 24 from Vienna in 2003 to Bangkok in 2005. Nadal’s start to the season is made even more impressive as there were doubts over his fitness coming into the year.