Rafael Nadal edged Daniil Medvedev in a classic Australian Open final on Sunday, roaring back from two sets down to claim a record 21st Grand Slam title only months after fearing his glorious career might be over due to injury.

With Novak Djokovic forced out by deportation and Roger Federer recovering from knee surgery, the Spanish great is now one major title clear of his ‘Big Three’ rivals after surviving the 2-6 6-7(5) 6-4 6-4 7-5 thriller at Rod Laver Arena.

Riding a wave of raucous support from the crowd, a vintage Nadal pulled off one of his finest performances to deny Medvedev again, less than three years after leaving the Russian heartbroken in five sets at the 2019 U.S. Open final.

In a match steeped in drama, Nadal was two points from the title but was broken as he served for the match at 5-4.

He held firm to break Medvedev again and served out the match to love, rushing in to deliver a backhand volley as a stunning coup de grace.

Dropping his racket, Nadal shook his head and grinned, then kicked a tennis ball away and pumped his fists in delight.

It was a triumph that defied time and logic, the 35-year-old completing his first five-set win from a two-set deficit in 15 years -- since overhauling Mikhail Youzhny in the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2007.

Having suffered four final defeats in 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2019, Nadal can now savour a second Melbourne Park crown, 13 years after beating Federer in the 2009 decider.

The long hair and pirate shorts of that decade have fallen by the way-side, but the class and fighting spirit endure in the face of Nadal's titanic battles to recover from injuries.

Having missed Wimbledon due to fatigue and the U.S. Open because of a chronic condition in his left foot, Nadal was on the brink of quitting in late-2021 and felt blessed just to turn up at Melbourne Park this year.

His ability to play seven matches felt miraculous for the Spaniard, who joins Djokovic, Rod Laver and Roy Emerson as the only men to win each Grand Slam title twice.

Now more than ever, world number one Djokovic may rue his failed bid to defend his title in Melbourne without COVID-19 vaccination.

His deportation threw the tournament wide open, leaving a vacuum for Nadal to fill and strike a potentially decisive blow in the Grand Slam race.

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal, who beat Daniil Medvedev 2-6 6-7(5) 6-4 6-4 7-5 in the Australian Open final on Sunday to win a men’s record 21st Grand Slam title:

Age: 35

Country: Spain

ATP ranking: 5

Seeding: 6

Grand Slam titles (21): Australian Open (2009, 2022); French Open (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020); Wimbledon (2008, 2010); U.S. Open (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019)

EARLY LIFE

- Born in Manacor, Spain to Sebastian Nadal and Ana Maria Parera.

- His uncle Miguel Angel Nadal was a former soccer player who represented Barcelona, RCD Mallorca and the Spain national team.

- Introduced to tennis by another uncle, Toni, who encouraged his naturally right-handed nephew to play left-handed as it would give him an advantage.

- Turned professional in 2001 and won the junior Davis Cup with Spain in 2002. Won the ATP newcomer of the year in 2003.

CAREER TO DATE

- Won his first ATP singles title in Poland in 2004.

- Defeated world number two Andy Roddick to guide Spain to the Davis Cup title in 2004. He won the tournament again in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2019.

- Won the French Open on debut in 2005 and a year later beat Roger Federer in the final.

- In 2007, he became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win a hat-trick of Roland Garros titles.

- Won his first Wimbledon title in 2008 with a five-set victory over Federer, a match dubbed the ‘the greatest tennis match in history’.

- Won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics for Spain in singles. Clinched the doubles gold with Marc Lopez at the 2016 Rio Games.

- Suffered his first French Open loss in 2009 to Sweden’s Robin Soderling in the fourth round.

- Regained the title the following year, beating Soderling in the final. He also won Wimbledon for a second time in 2010 before claiming his first U.S. Open title, becoming the seventh man to win all four Grand Slams.

- Matched Borg’s record of six French Open titles with his 2011 victory and overtook the Swede in 2012.

- Became the first man with eight titles at the same Grand Slam when he beat fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the 2013 final at Roland Garros. He also won the U.S. Open that year.

- Became the first man to win five successive French Open titles in 2014.

- Won his second Grand Slam of 2017 at Flushing Meadows after a 10th French Open title in June.

- Claimed an 11th French Open title and his 17th major with victory over Dominic Thiem in 2018.

- Defeated Thiem again in 2019 final to seal his 12th Roland Garros title. He also won a fourth U.S. Open crown by defeating Russian Daniil Medvedev in the final.

- Matched Federer’s record of 20 Grand Slam titles by defeating Djokovic in the French Open final in 2020.

- Got his 1,000th victory on the ATP Tour at the 2020 Paris Masters, becoming the fourth man in the professional era to achieve it.

- Suffered only his third-ever loss at Roland Garros in 2021 when he was beaten by Djokovic in the semi-finals.

- Missed chunks of the 2021 season, including Wimbledon, the Olympics and the U.S. Open, due to a long-standing foot injury.

- Defeated Medvedev in the 2022 Australian Open final to win a men’s record 21st Grand Slam title. 

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