Novak Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal in three sets to win Indian Wells, improving his record to 18-0 this season.

The unstoppable Serb shrugged off the loss of the opening set to outlast the world number one in a gripping match lasting two hours 25 minutes at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Djokovic will move into the No. 2 spot when the ATP Tour rankings are released Monday, having bumped Roger Federer down to third after he lost to Djokovic in the semifinals. Nadal will remain No. 1 with a 14-3 record.

After Nadal's forehand hit the net on match point, Djokovic threw his head back and let out a prolonged yell while pumping both arms.

It was the Serb's second triumph in the elite ATP Masters 1000 event at Indian Wells, having first won the title as a 20-year-old in 2008.