BY MAYOWA SAMUEL
Spanish tennis legend, Rafael Nadal, has now won a record 21st Grand Slam title on Sunday.
Nadal’s dramatic win came after coming from behind to defeat Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final, making him the first Australian Open champion to come back to win after dropping the first two sets of the final since Roy Emerson in 1965.
Twenty-five year old Nadal was down two sets against number two ranked Medvedev, but Nadal rallied against the Australian to win (2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5) in a gruelling match that lasted five hours, 24 minutes.
Nadal’s 21st Australian Open title win now means he has broken the men’s record for the Grand Slam singles titles. He now has more major titles than longtime rivals, Roger Federer and Novack Djokovic.
Speaking to the crowd at Rod Laver on his victory, Nadal, who praised his opponent of the night, Medvedev, said it had been “one of the most emotional matches in my tennis career.”
“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,” he added.
It is interesting to note that Djokovic was chasing the same record at the U.S. Open last year, and a calendar-year Grand Slam, Medvedev however denied the Serb from achieving the feat, after beating him in straight sets in the final.
