Rafael Nadal stays perfect to set up Indian Wells final clash with Taylor Fritz

Rafael Nadal extended his unbeaten start to the season to 20 matches on Saturday and will compete for his fourth straight title of the year after defeating fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz to reach the Indian Wells final, where he will face American Taylor Fritz.

In a match pitted as a clash between Spanish tennis generations, Nadal battled past Alcaraz 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 and the 35-year-old was pushed all the way through three hours and 12 minutes by the 18-year-old aiming to follow in the footsteps of his childhood idol.

"I think was my best match so far in the tournament in terms of level," said Nadal, who has won all three tournaments he has played so far this year, including a record-setting 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.

"In the third I played with great determination against a very difficult player to play. He's great. He has a lot of amazing things."

The array of shots and athleticism that have already stamped Alcaraz a star were on full display in a match that saw gusting winds buffet the players in the second set, sending debris skittering across the court and at one point forcing a readjustment of the billowing net.

Alcaraz's fearless start to the contest saw him take a quick 2-0 lead – fighting off five of the astonishing 17 break points he would face in the set in the second game.

Nadal won the next four games before surrendering his serve again, but he pocketed the set with another break in the 10th game.

Alcaraz again seized the initiative in the second set with a break for a 3-2 lead. That launched a run of five straight breaks of serve, the last another marathon in which Nadal saved five break points and missed two game points before Alcaraz finally put him away.

Alcaraz, who had won just three