Rafael Nadal came back from the brink to keep his unbeaten start to the 2022 season intact with victory over Sebastian Korda at the BNP Paribas Masters.
World number 40 Korda served for the match in the final set at Indian Wells but the Spaniard fought back to force and win a final set tie-break and secure a 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (3) result.
Nadal looked set to continue his remarkable start to the year, which saw him claim his 21st grand slam title at the Australian Open, with ease as he surged into a 4-0 lead.
But after taking the opening set, the 35-year-old was immediately broken in the second as his opponent wrested control and looked set to wrap it up when he served for the match at 5-4 in the decider.
Instead, Nadal rallied to level at 5-5, saved a break point in his next service game, and forced a final set tie-break, in which he fell 3-2 behind before rallying for another impressive win.
Next up for Nadal is Britain's Dan Evans, who swept past Federico Coria 6-2 6-0.
