Rafael Nadal Wins the Australian Open, His 21st Grand Slam Title
Novak Djokovic overshadowed the first Grand Slam of the year before it began, but Nadal pulled off an epic comeback over Daniil Medvedev that broke his tie with Djokovic and Roger Federer in men’s singles major career victories.
MELBOURNE, Australia — The Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal shook his head, as if in disbelief. Then he moved to the net to shake the hand of his opponent, Daniil Medvedev, and it was then that it seemed to sink in. Nadal stood alone in the record book with 21 career Grand Slam men’s singles titles, one more than his rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Suddenly, Nadal punched the air like a prizefighter, flexing his arms like a bodybuilder, pumping his fists overhead, then dropping to his knees as tears flowed.
Nadal’s five-hour-and-24-minute triumph, after being down by two sets, thrilled a raucous crowd on a warm Sunday night at Rod Laver Arena. It came just a day after Ashleigh Barty of Australia won the women’s singles title, the first home court win at the Australian Open in 44 years.
But if the final weekend of the first major sporting event of the year ended in singular fashion, the beginning was anything but.
