Although the second wasn’t his, Novak Djokovic acknowledged its significance.Â
Rafael Nadal obtained to 21 first, breaking the lads’s file for many grand slam singles titles and doing it the laborious method by getting back from two units right down to beat Daniil Medvedev in an virtually five-and-a-half-hour Australian Open ultimate.
The 35-year-old Spaniard now has yet another main title than Roger Federer and Djokovic, his long-time rivals within the so-called “Huge 3.”
With the 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 win, Nadal additionally turned simply the fourth man in historical past to win all 4 of the game’s main titles not less than twice.
And with that –– for now, when it comes to males’s main titles not less than –– Nadal seems to be gripping the title of GOAT.
Nadal mentioned it had been “probably the most emotional matches in my tennis profession,” and he praised Medvedev for the half he performed within the 5-hour, 24-minute ultimate. It was the second-longest Australian Open ultimate ever, after Nadal’s loss to Djokovic within the 2012 decider that lasted 5:53.
His victory was much more outstanding contemplating Nadal flew to Australia with simply two matches below his belt within the second half of 2021 as a result of he was sidelined with a continual foot harm that may be handled however not cured. He additionally overcame a bout with COVID-19.
“For me, it’s simply superb. Being trustworthy, one month and a half in the past, I didn’t know if I’d be capable to play on the tour once more,” Nadal mentioned. “Indisputably, (it’s) most likely been probably the most emotional months in my tennis profession.
“The massive help I’ve obtained for the final three weeks will keep in my coronary heart for the remainder of my life.”
Nadal gained his first Australian Open title in 2009 and misplaced 4 different finals at Melbourne Park earlier than his dramatic win over US Open champion Medvedev. His conversion fee in main finals is now 21 out of 29. Federer and Djokovic every have 20 majors in 31 finals appearances.
Medvedev, who was aiming to be the primary man within the Open period to win his second Grand Slam title on the very subsequent main, was ever-so-close to spoiling one other twenty first celebration.
Djokovic was chasing the identical file on the US Open final yr, in addition to a calendar-year grand slam, when Medvedev beat him in straight units within the ultimate.
Federer additionally had his likelihood at 21, however Djokovic stopped that when he saved a number of match factors earlier than successful the 2019 Wimbledon ultimate.
Medvedev now joins Andy Murray amongst those that’ve misplaced the ultimate on the subsequent main event after their profession breakthrough on the highest degree.
It was simply the fourth time Nadal has rallied from two units right down to win a best-of-five-set match and the primary since a fourth-round victory in 2007 at Wimbledon over Mikhail Youzhny.
Nadal was the one member of the “Huge 3” who had an opportunity to say the file solo in Australia. Federer remains to be recovering from knee surgical procedure and Djokovic was sensationally deported from Australia on the eve of the event after a dramatic 11-day saga over his visa standing as a result of he failed to fulfill the nation’s strict COVID-19 vaccination guidelines.
Right here is how the web reacted to Nadal’s record-breaking win:
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