By Rafael Nadal broke a three-way tie with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic by guaranteeing his 21st Grand Slam title on Sunday, returning to beat Daniil Medvedev, 2-6, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5, in the 2022 Australian Open men’s singles last.
Nadal revitalized from two puts down simply the third comeback from 0-2 at a major for Nadal in his vocation and first beginning around 2007 to win the marathon five-setter.
“One month and a half ago, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to be back on the tour playing tennis again,” Nadal said in his post-match discourse. ” And today, I am here in front of all of you having this trophy with me and you really don’t know how much I fought to be here. I can’t thank you enough for all the support that I received since I arrived here.”
Nadal was sidelined with a repetitive foot injury since last May, in any event, going through an activity that left him on braces just four months prior. Then, at that point, in December 2021, Nadal experienced an advancement case of COVID-19.
Following Nadal’s first-round triumph at the 2022 Australian Open, he told Eurosport Spain: “A month and a half ago I didn’t know if I would play tennis again at a professional level due to various factors, including the problems I’ve had with my foot and with COVID.”
This was the second Grand Slam meeting for Medvedev and Nadal, who are building up an epic intergenerational rival. The pair confronted each other in another final, at the 2019 US Open, which was likewise a five-set match in support of Nadal. Medvedev, 25, has a close indistinguishable playing approach as Nadal, returning a long way behind the pattern and covering the court with amazing pace. On paper, Medvedev holds the benefit as a superior hard-court player though Nadal is known to be more prevailing on earth court. At 6 feet, 6 inches, Medvedev additionally sports a huge serve and impervious safeguard.
Medvedev was intending to follow his 2021 US Open title with a continuous Grand Slam win and got one more opportunity to play spoiler to history. In the 2021 US Open last, Medvedev foiled Djokovic’s offer for the scheduled Grand Slam and Grand Slam No. 21. Yet, beating Djokovic and Nadal in consecutive Grand Slam finals is no simple errand. Truth be told, Federer and Stan Wawrinka are the main players that have beaten both Djokovic and Nadal in the Grand Slam finals.
At a certain point in this championship match, Medvedev was two sets up at 3-2 and 40-0, however, the more experienced Nadal had the option to use impeccably executed volleys and passing shots to finish the apparently inconceivable rebound. Unadulterated coarseness and assurance unquestionably played a component in the five-hour, 24-minute final, too.
In the initial two sets, Nadal was battling with natural blunders during the more drawn-out meetings, yet started to effectively shorten the focus in the third set. Nadal completed the third set with four sequential victors to serve it out and win 6-4. It was Medvedev who immediately fell behind in the fourth set at 5-3 after a modest bunch of foolish drop shots.
Nadal wobbled in the fifth at 5-3, at the end of the day held to finish it off at 7-5. Where Medvedev was playing in only the third last of his young career, the 2022 Australian Open was Nadal’s 29th Grand Slam final.
Nadal, 35, alongside Federer and Djokovic make up the age characterizing Big Three that has overwhelmed the expert circuit for above and beyond 10 years now. With Nadal’s 2022 Australian Open Championship, the second of his celebrated vocation, he breaks the Grand Slam record that he, Djokovic, and Federer held in a tie at 20 titles each. Djokovic, 34, lost his bid to compete in the current year’s Australian Open as an unvaccinated player after he was denied by government authorities.
In 2019, Federer had a match point against Djokovic at the Wimbledon last to arrive at Grand Slam No. 21. However, missed the mark. In 2021, Djokovic lost to Medvedev at the US Open final in straight sets, likewise missing the mark concerning arriving at 21. Presently, Nadal has immediately taken advantage of his chance to acquire the 21st title of his career.
Moreover, Nadal can keep on growing his lead in the event that he intends to play in the current year’s French Open where he possesses a record 13 titles, winning the championship on clay as of late as 2020.
Djokovic’s status for the French Open (alongside the other Grand Slams) is as yet in question because of his refusal to get the COVID-19 inoculation. Federer, in the meantime, presently can’t seem to make his re-visitation of the court in 2022 after a knee medical procedure in August 2021.
With Nadal’s second Australian Open title, he tears the Open Era record for the longest range among first and second title at similar Grand Slam at 13 years separated. Nadal won his first Australian Open title in 2009, in a 4-hour and 23-minute five-set match against Roger Federer.
Earlier, Jimmy Connors held the men’s record at eight years separated (Wimbledon 1974 and 1982). Nadal additionally turns out to be only the fourth man in the Open Era to catch each Grand Slam two times.
