Rafael Nadal wins Australian Open for record-breaking 21st major title

MELBOURNE, Australia - Searching for inspiration when he was down two sets and facing triple break point Sunday night at Rod Laver Arena, his prospects of winning a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam men's singles title almost shot, Rafael Nadal thought back to some of his most difficult defeats.

Renowned for his athleticism, competitive spirit and perseverance to the final point, the 35-year-old Spaniard dug deep in that critical moment and won the next four points to survive the immediate threat from Daniil Medvedev. Minutes later, Nadal held for 3-3 in the third set and swung the momentum of the Australian Open final in his favor.

It took a lot of time and considerable effort, but with a dramatic 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 comeback win that lasted 5 hours and 24 minutes - by the time it was all over, it was after 1 a.m. Monday local time - Nadal now has one more major title than Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, his longtime rivals in the so-called Big Three.

He was the only one of the accomplished trio who had a chance to take sole possession of the record at the year's first Grand Slam event. Federer, the 40-year-old Swiss star whose most recent major title came four years ago at Melbourne Park, is still recovering from knee surgery. Djokovic, the 34-year-old Serb who was seeded No. 1 this year after winning three of the past four majors, was sensationally deported from Australia on the eve of the tournament because he wasn't vaccinated against COVID-19.

It's all history now that Nadal has become just the fourth man to win all four of the sport's major titles at least twice, joining Djokovic and Australia's Laver and Roy Emerson.

"I was repeating to myself during the whole match, 'I lost a lot of times here having chances, sometimes I was a little bit unlucky,'" said Nadal, who has reached the Australian Open finals six times but had lost four of those opportunities (2012, 2014, 2017, 2019) since winning the event in 2009.

"I just wanted to keep believing until the end. Tonight has been unforgettable. I feel very lucky."

Nadal was broken when serving to serve it out for the first time at 5-4 in the fifth set, but he made no mistake two games later, converting the first of his championship points.

Taking everything into account - "the scenario, the momentum" - he called it "without a doubt probably the biggest comeback of my tennis career. The most unexpected. And most surprising, I think, for everyone."

Djokovic and Federer were watching, from a distance, and both used social media to offer congratulations to Nadal for breaking their three-way tie in his 29th major final.

AP photo by Terius Pickard / Rafael Nadal shouts while playing Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final Sunday night in Melbourne.

Nadal and Medvedev packed a lot of drama into a match that was delayed in the 84-minute second set when a human rights activist jumped onto the court. Nadal was serving for the second set but was broken in that game. Then Medvedev had his moments to break again in the third set but admitted he got tight.

"Should have done better. Should have hit a winner. Maybe would have won the match," Medvedev said, adding: "Tactically nothing changed, but Rafa stepped up."

Indeed, he did. And at 1:30 a.m., he stepped up onto the podium to give his victory speech.

"Good evening. No, good morning!" Nadal joked, looking at his watch.

In the background, Laver held 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 major men's singles titles at least, Nadal is indeed the Greatest Of All Time.

Nadal praised Medvedev - who lost the 2021 final in Melbourne to Djokovic - for the part he played in what eventually became the second-longest Australian Open final ever. Nadal's loss to Djokovic a decade ago lasted 5:53.

Nadal's win was even more remarkable considering he had just two matches under his belt in the second half of 2021 because he was sidelined with a chronic foot injury. He also overcame a bout of COVID-19.

"For me, it's just amazing," he said, adding that it was only six weeks ago "I didn't know if I'd be able to play on the tour again."

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 U.S. Open last September, as well as 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 after saving match points en route to winning the 2019 Wimbledon final.

For Nadal, this was just the fourth time - and first since 2007 - he has rallied from two sets down to win a best-of-five match. It's the first time it has happened at the Australian Open final since 1965.

"I want to congratulate Rafa," Medvedev said. "What he did today was amazing. You're an amazing champion."

Medvedev began his news conference after the match by talking about having been "a young kid who dreamed about big things in tennis" who now has become a bit disillusioned. He spoke a little later about being disappointed in the way spectators treated him in the final and earlier in the tournament.

"From now on, I'm playing for myself," Medvedev said. "For my family. To provide (for) my family, for people that trust in me. Of course for all the Russians, because I feel a lot of support there."

Medvedev continued his love-hate relationship with Australian crowds. He stayed calm for the first two sets before complaining about the yelling and noise between first and second serves.

After Nadal broke him in the third game of the fourth set, on a double fault, Medvedev walked to the changeover giving an ironic thumbs-up to the crowd. There was an exchange of breaks, but Nadal got the upper hand after a long game when he converted his seventh break point.

Medvedev urged chair umpire John Blom to shut the crowd up.

"Step up, man. It's the final of a Grand Slam. 'Please' is not enough," he said. "They're idiots. With idiots, 'please' doesn't work."

After Medvedev double faulted to open the fifth set, Blom warned the crowd that anyone yelling between first and second serves could get kicked out by security.

Medvedev did manage to hold that game. In the end, though, he didn't quite have the endurance to stop Nadal's solo ascent to the peak of men's tennis.

AP photo by Hamish Blair / Daniil Medvedev a backhand return to Rafael Nadal during the Australian Open final Sunday night in Melbourne.