Australian Open Men's Final: Nadal Overcomes Two Set Deficit & Survives Medvedev to Capture Record 21st Career Slam

 

Australian Open 2022 Men's Singles Champion:

Rafael Nadal

Photo courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr Page - Rafael Nadal: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/5756335239

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Rafa proved to be the one who finally broke through to win a record 21st Grand Slam title, which puts him in the overall lead in men's tennis history. Novak Djokovic has seemed to be well on his way to obtaining that just months ago, when he stormed to the US Open Final, only to lose to Daniil Medvedev, the man whom Nadal faced today.

Medvedev almost won today, as well. He raced out to take a surprisingly easy first set, and then fought hard in the second, coming back from a break to force a tiebreaker, and then won that, too. Suddenly, he was up two sets. It was only too easy to imagine another loss for Nadal at the Australian Open Final. It seemed like he would be close once again, but no cigar.

But Nadal is the most intense, and hardest working, player on the men's side, and perhaps in all of tennis history. He fought for it, despite being severely down. Rafa clawed his way back in, taking it one point at a time, winning games, taking the third set. Then the fourth, and forcing the fifth and deciding set, which he also won.

Yes, Nadal eventually won this match 2-6 6-7 6-4 6-4 7-5.

As a result, at least for now, Rafael Nadal moves ahead of both Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic to stand alone in men's history with 21 career Grand Slam titles. 

Medvedev, who looked like he might cruise to a decisive victory after he took the first two sets, nevertheless is playing the best tennis of his career. He won the US Open months ago, and with this run to the Australian Open Final, he has improved his position to perhaps claim the number one ranking away from Djokovic in the relatively near future. 

At 35, Nadal once again is a Grand Slam champion. This was his 29th appearance at a Grand Slam final, behind only Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, who both have gone to 31 Grand Slam Finals. Also, he joins Djokovic as a double career Grand Slam champion. They are the only two men in the past half century to have won each Grand Slam title multiple times. He has won the French Open a record 13 times, has won the US Open four times, Wimbledon twice, and now, with this win today, he has two Australian Open titles, as well. 

Here are some additional facts that are now true following Nadal's impressive comeback win yesterday:

Nadal is the fourth man in men's tennis history to have won each Grand Slam multiple times each.

He was the first man in the Open era to come from two sets down to win the Australian Open Men's Final.

Finally, he was involved in both of the longest Grand Slam singles finals in history (the 2012 Australian Open Men's Final against Djokovic, and the legendary 2008 Wimbledon Final against Federer).