A Nadal miracle in Melbourne
Rafael Nadal scripted one of the greatest comebacks of sporting history to win the Australian Open and become the first tennis star to clinch a record 21st Grand Slam. This was as astonishing a sporting fairy tale as we were likely to witness as the Spaniard, in doubt about playing tennis at all after a bruising left foot injury that could be treated but not cured, came back from two sets and 2-3 down while serving 0-40 against an opponent 10 years his junior. Nadal had restored the virtual monopoly status of tennis’ Big Three that had been broken by Daniil Medvedev who had stopped Novak Djokovic from completing a calendar grand slam in 2021 at the US Open.
Nadal established himself as the best among current vaccinated players even as his win was clouded by the dreadfully controversial exclusion of Djokovic from the Melbourne draw and the absence of Roger Federer. But that takes only a little away from the saga of courage of a champion who dipped into his physical and emotional resources to retrieve lost ground and dominate the finishing stages of a marathon 331-minute classic duel that ended at 1.11 am Victoria summer time. It is a pity his opponent allowed the hostile Melbourne crowd to get under his skin and made the simplest of errors, mostly in trying to shorten rallies against an athletic opponent who gets to the ball like a terrier on court.
Medvedev could not match Nadal’s dulcet touch, especially in the magical drop shots. Nor could he overcome the senior player’s physical resources while he himself sipped salty pickle juice to ward off cramps in draining humidity. The calm temperament of the three great champions that set them apart was noticeable as the angry young man imploded in the deciding set despite breaking back service towards the end. Nadal’s astonishing victory seemed ordained even as the dignity and spirit of sportsmanship of all-time greats such as him was featured in his speech at the presentation acknowledging Medvedev’s arrival in the top echelons but whose bid to become the first in the modern era to win successive Grand Slams with his maiden triumph was not to be. The old order prevails as a champion prevailed over a young challenger.
Nadal’s astonishing victory seemed ordained even as the dignity and spirit of sportsmanship of all-time greats such as him was featured in his speech