Nadal grabs Indian Wells title

Back to best ... Rafael Nadal powers to his third Indian Wells title. Source: FREDERIC J. BROWN / AAP

Rafael Nadal overcame a tough three-set challenge from Juan Martin del Potro to win his third Indian Wells ATP Masters title 4-6 6-3 6-4.

Nadal cemented his return from a seven-month injury layoff with his first hard court title since 2010 and a record 22nd title in an elite Masters event. He had previously shared the record of 21 with Roger Federer.

The 26-year-old hadn't played a hard court tournament since pulling out of the Miami Masters last March with tendinitis in his left knee -- the same sort of knee trouble that would sideline him from his second-round Wimbledon exit in late June until February.

He came back in February to post a runner-up finish in Vina del Mar, followed by victories at Sao Paulo and Acapulco.

But none of those modest clay court tournaments posed the challenge he faced at Indian Wells, where the field featured 49 of the top 50 players in the world.

Seeded fifth, his route to the final included a quarter-final clash with defending champion Federer.

In the final, Nadal halted the giant-killing run of seventh-seeded Argentinian del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion who defeated world No. 1 Novak Djokovic and world No. 3 Andy Murray en route to the final.

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