Cameron Norrie fought back to defeat Nikoloz Basilashvili 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the Indian Wells final on Sunday, becoming the first British man to win the Masters 1000 tournament, the “fifth grand slam”.

Earlier, Paula Badosa survived a stiff challenge from Victoria Azarenka to produce a gutsy 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 7-6 (7-2) win in an epic championship match on Sunday.

It appeared an upset was in the works when the hard-hitting Basilashvili quickly took the first set but Norrie regrouped in the second, breaking the Georgian at love to force a decider.

In the third set, the left-handed Norrie broke early and saved three break points to take a 3-0 lead as unforced errors began to pile up for Basilashvili under the lights in the Southern California desert. Norrie sealed the biggest win of his career when Basilashvili sent a forehand long on championship point.

“What can I say? Obviously, I’m so happy. It’s my biggest title so I can’t really describe it right now,” said Norrie, who was playing in his sixth final of his breakout year. The 26-year-old Norrie, born in South Africa to a Scottish father and Welsh mother, won his first ATP singles title at Mexico’s Los Cabos Open in July.

He congratulated Basilashvili on his outstanding tournament, where the 29-year-old stunned world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter finals and American Taylor Fritz in the semis.

“I’m sorry it went my way. You deserved it just as much as I did,” Norrie said.

Praise for Azarenka

Azarenka was two points from winning the tournament for a third time and serving at 5-4 in the decider when her game began to unravel behind a series of errors.

Badosa took advantage of the shift in momentum and held her nerve in the final tie-breaker, firing a crosscourt forehand winner on championship point and falling to the court in joy at the end of the more than three-hour battle.

The 23-year-old Badosa praised WTA Tour veteran and two-time major champion Azarenka, who she said she had admired since she was a teenager.

“I remember saying to my coach that I hope one day I can play like her,” Badosa said after receiving the championship trophy. “Thank you for inspiring me so much. Athletes like you and women like you, I wouldn’t be here without you. Really.”

Badosa also thanked her family in Spain for their support.