For two sets and more, Rafael Nadal trailed an opponent 10 years his junior who had built a fortress behind the baseline and outplayed him from all parts of the court. Even with all of Nadal’s trademark fight, the deficit was thorough and clear, and as Daniil Medvedev inched towards a grand slam title while in the greatest form of his young career, Nadal would have left with few complaints after a run that was already beyond his own imagination.
All Nadal could do was keep his head up, focus on each point as it came and search for solutions until the end. He did so, as he does every single time he steps on to a tennis court, and before a manic crowd on Rod Laver Arena, Nadal produced one of the greatest masterstrokes of his endless career. From two sets down, Nadal somehow recovered to defeat Medvedev 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 after five hours and 24 minutes and, in the process, win a record 21st grand slam title.
