MELBOURNE: Rafael Nadal got to 21 first, breaking the men’s record for most Grand Slam singles titles and doing it the hard way by roaring back from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev in a classic Australian Open final only months after fearing his glorious career might be over due to injury.

Nadal was broken when serving for the championship for the first time at 5-4 in the fifth set, but he made no mistake two games later by serving an ace to earn three championship points and converted it on the first attempt.

The 35-year-old Spaniard now has one more major title than Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, his long-time rivals in the so-called ‘Big Three’.

With the 2-6, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 win, Nadal also became just the fourth man in history to win all four of the sports major titles at least twice.

Nadal and Medvedev packed a lot of drama into the final that started Sunday on night, was delayed for a while in the 84-minute second set when a protester jumped onto the court, and then finished early Monday morning.

“Good evening. No, good morning!” Nadal, looking at his watch, told the crowd at Rod Laver Arena when he fin­ally got up for his acceptance speech at 1:30 a.m.

In the background, Rod Laver, the ageing Australian tennis great, was in the stands holding up his smartphone to capture the scenes. A woman nearby held up a sign that stated: “Rafa is the GOAT”.

For now, in terms of men’s major titles at least, Nadal is the Greatest Of All Time.

Nadal said it had been one of the most emo­tional matches in my tennis career, and he praised Medvedev for the part he played in the titanic five-hour, 24-minute final. It was the second longest Australian Open final ever, after Nadal’s loss to Djo­ko­vic in the 2012 decider that lasted 5:53.

His victory was even more remarkable considering Nadal flew to Australia with just two matches under his belt in the second half of 2021 because he was sidelined with a chronic foot injury that can be treated but not cured. He also overcame a bout of Covid-19.

“For me, it’s just amazing. Being honest, one month and a half ago, I didn’t know if I’d be able to play on the tour again,” Nadal said. “Without a doubt, [it’s] probably been one of the most emotional months in my tennis career. The huge support I’ve received for the last three weeks will stay in my heart for the rest of my life.”

Nadal won his first Australian Open title in 2009 and lost four other finals at Melbourne Park before his dramatic win over US Open champion Medvedev. His conversion rate in major finals is now 21 out of 29. Federer and Djokovic each have 20 majors from 31 finals appearances.

Medvedev, who was aiming to be the first man in the Open era to win his second Grand Slam title at the very next major, was ever-so-close to spoiling another 21st celebration.

Djokovic was chasing the same record at the US Open last year, and a calendar-year Grand Slam, when Medvedev beat him in straight sets in the final.

Federer also had his chance at 21, but Djokovic stopped that when he saved match points before winning the 2019 Wimbledon final.

Medvedev now joins Andy Murray among those who’ve lost the final at the next major tournament after their career breakthrough at the highest level.

It was just the fourth time Nadal has rallied from two sets down to win a best-of-five-set match, and the first since a fourth-round victory in 2007 at Wimbledon over Mikhail Youzhny.

He’s the first Australian Open champion to come back to win after dropping the first two sets of the final since Roy Emerson in 1965.

It was a match that had everything, even a crowd invasion as a spectator jumped on the court to protest Australia’s detention of refugees as Nadal struggled to serve out the second set.

Nadal failed to convert a set point and Medvedev made him pay, sealing the set with a crisp backhand passing shot.

The Russian hammed up his villain persona, flapping his hands at the crowd with a smirk.

It proved a red rag to a bull as both Nadal and the crowd united to harry the Russian through the next two sets.

Medvedev was left begging for crowd control from the chair umpire as Nadal stormed back into the game.

Medvedev’s frustrations only grew and he became sluggish in his movement as the match wore on. He frowned as a trai­ner worked on his left thigh but dragged himself out to make a game of it to the finish.

In the end, it was Nadal dictating terms to the Russian and showing himself and the world that further records may yet be at his mercy.

“I just wanted to keep believing until the end to give me a chance and that’s what I did,” Nadal said. “I kept fighting to try and find a solution, there a lot of moments that can decide a final like this.

“I don’t care much about history, I enjoy nights like this that means everything to me, it’s important to get my second Australian Open more than anything else.”

Nadal was the only one of the Big Three who had a chance to claim the record solo in Australia.

Federer is still recovering from knee surgery and Djokovic was sensationally deported from Australia on the eve of the tournament after a dramatic 11-day saga over his visa status because he failed to meet the country’s strict Covid-19 vaccination rules.

Medvedev recovered his composure for his post-match speech, praising Nadal for his incredible endurance.

“Tough to talk after five hours and 30 minutes and losing,” said Medvedev who shuffled and rolled his eyes during a lengthy speech by a local tennis official.

“What you [Rafa] did today was amazing. After the match, I just asked him: ‘Are you tired?’ It was insane ... I thought you are going to get tired, maybe just a little, but you won the match.

“You’re an amazing champion and I think you guys [Federer, Djokovic and Nadal] have a good rivalry still. It’s not over yet.”

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2022