Comeback maestro Nadal wins third Indian Wells title

Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates defeating Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina in the men's singles final match to win the BNP Paribas Open ATP tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, March 17, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

Dictating rallies

Nadal surprisingly failed to hold in the fifth after dictating almost every rally, losing the game when 2009 US Open champion Del Potro blasted a backhand crosscourt winner with his service return.

Growing in confidence and continually attacking with his forehand, the towering Argentine again broke Nadal in the ninth when his opponent blasted a forehand long.

Del Potro then held serve to take the first set in 54 minutes, racing 40-0 up but squandering his first two set points before finishing off with a backhand volley winner at the net and pumping his right fist in delight.

An out-of-sorts Nadal failed to hold in the first game of the second set, trailing 30-40 after a blistering forehand pass by the Argentine and then netting a forehand to give Del Potro the break.

The next four games went with serve before Nadal, urged on by roars of "Rafa, Rafa, Rafa" that echoed around the Stadium Court, broke Del Potro in the sixth when the Argentine hit a forehand long.

Rafael Nadal of Spain serves to Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina during their men's singles final match at the BNP Paribas Open ATP tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, March 17, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

Del Potro was also broken in the eighth, when Nadal blasted a forehand winner into an open court, and the Spaniard then held serve to level the match at one-set all with a 105 mph ace.

The Argentine survived three breaks points before holding serve in an energy-sapping first game in the final set but he failed to hold in the third as the Spaniard crunched a forehand winner down the line to lead 2-1.

There was no way back from there for Del Potro, who had upset world number three Andy Murray in the quarterfinals and top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the last four.

He did well to save three match points after going 0-40 down on serve in the ninth before holding but Nadal served out for victory in the 10th, needing only one more match point to add a third Indian Wells title to his previous wins in 2007 and 2009.