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A14 sports
Monday 31 January 2022
Nadal wins Australian Open for record 21st major title

By JOHN PYE For Nadal, this was just the
Associated Press fourth time — and first since
(AP) — Searching for inspi- 2007 — he’s rallied from two
ration when he was down sets down to win a best-of-
two sets and facing triple five-set match. It’s the first
break point, with his pros- time it has happened at
pects of winning a record the Australian Open final
21st Grand Slam title almost since 1965.
shot, Rafael Nadal thought Medvedev, who lost the
back to some of his most 2021 final in Melbourne to
difficult defeats. Djokovic, began his post-
A renowned right-to-the- match news conference
end competitor, Nadal by talking about having
dug deep in that critical been “a young kid who
moment and won the next dreamed about big things
four points to survive the im- in tennis” who now has be-
mediate threat from Daniil come a bit disillusioned. He
Medvedev. Minutes later spoke a little later about
he held for 3-3 in the third being disappointed in the
set and swung the momen- way spectators treated him
tum of the Australian Open in the final and earlier in the
final around. tournament.
Nadal eventually did get “From now on, I’m play-
to 21 first, setting the men’s ing for myself,” Medvedev
record for most Grand Slam said. “For my family. To
singles titles after a dramat- provide (for) my family, for
ic 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 people that trust in me. Of
comeback win that lasted course for all the Russians,
5 hours and 24 minutes because I feel a lot of sup-
and finished early Monday port there.”
morning. Medvedev continued
The 35-year-old Spaniard his love-hate relationship
now has one more major ti- with Australian crowds. He
tle than Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal of Spain holds the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after defeating Daniil Medvedev stayed calm for the first two
Novak Djokovic, his long- of Russia in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, sets before complaining
time rivals in the so-called Australia, early Monday, Jan. 31, 2022. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair) about the yelling and noise
Big Three. between first and second
He was the only one of momentum,” he said, be would have won the in the second half of 2021 serves.
three who had a chance ”without a doubt probably match.” because he was sidelined After Nadal broke him in
to claim the record solo in the biggest comeback of “Tactically nothing with a chronic foot injury. the third game of the fourth
Australia. my tennis career.” changed,” he added, “but He also overcame a bout set, on a double-fault,
Federer is still recovering Certainly, he added, “The Rafa stepped up.” of COVID-19. Medvedev walked to the
from knee surgery and most unexpected. And Indeed, he did. And at 1:30 “For me, it’s just amazing,” changeover giving an iron-
Djokovic was sensationally most surprising, I think, for a.m. he stepped up onto he said, adding that it was ic thumbs-up to the crowd.
deported from Australia on everyone.” the podium to give his vic- only six weeks ago “I didn’t There was an exchange of
the eve of the tournament Federer and Djokovic were tory speech. know if I’d be able to play breaks but Nadal got the
because he wasn’t vacci- watching, from a distance, “Good evening. No, good on the tour again.” upper hand after a long
nated against COVID-19. and both used social me- morning!” Nadal joked, Nadal won his first Austra- game when he converted
It’s all history now that dia messages to offer con- looking at his watch. lian Open title in 2009 and his seventh breakpoint.
Nadal has become just the gratulations to Nadal for In the background, Rod La- then lost four other finals Medvedev urged chair
fourth man to win all four breaking their three-way ver, the ageing Australian here. His conversion rate in umpire John Blom to shut
of the sport’s major titles at tie atop the men’s Grand tennis great for whom Mel- major finals is now 21 out of the crowd up.
least twice. Slam standings. bourne Park’s main stadi- 29. “Step up, man. It’s the final
“I was repeating to myself Nadal and Medvedev um is named, was holding Medvedev, who was aim- of a Grand Slam. ‘Please’
during the whole match, ‘I packed a lot of drama into up his smartphone to cap- ing to be the first man in the is not enough,” he said.
lost a lot of times here hav- the final that started Sun- ture the scenes. A woman Open era to win his second “They’re idiots. With idiots,
ing chances, sometimes day night, was delayed in nearby held up a sign that Grand Slam title at the very ‘please’ doesn’t work.”
I was a little bit unlucky,’” the 84-minute second set stated: “Rafa is the GOAT.” next major, was ever-so- After Medvedev served a
Nadal said. “I just wanted when a human rights activ- For now, in terms of men’s close to spoiling another double-fault to open the
to keep believing until the ist jumped onto the court, major titles at least, Nadal 21st celebration. fifth set, Blom warned the
end.” and finished close to 1:15 is the Greatest Of All Time. Djokovic was chasing the crowd that anyone yelling
“Tonight has been unfor- a.m. Nadal praised Medvedev same record at the U.S. between first and second
gettable. I feel very lucky.” Nadal was serving for the for the part he played in Open last year, and a cal- serves could get kicked out
Nadal was broken when second set but was broken what eventually became endar-year Grand Slam, by security. Medvedev did
serving to serve it out for in that game. Then Med- the second longest Austra- when Medvedev beat him manage to hold that game
the first time at 5-4 in the vedev had his moments to lian Open final ever. Nad- in straight sets in the final. but in the end he didn’t
fifth set, but he made no break again in the third set al’s loss to Djokovic a de- Federer also had his quite have the endurance.
mistake two games later, but admitted he got tight. cade ago lasted 5:53. chance at 21, but Djokovic “I want to congratulate
converting the first of his Nadal’s 21st major title stopped that after saving Rafa,” he said. “What
championship points. “Should have done better. was even more remark- match points en route to he did today was amaz-
Taking everything into ac- Should have hit a winner,” able considering he had winning the 2019 Wimble- ing. You’re an amazing
count, “the scenario, the Medvedev said. “May- two matches under his belt don final. champion.”q