Rafael Nadal became the first man to win 21 grand slams after a phenomenal victory at the Australian Open on Sunday.
The 35-year-old recovered from a seemingly impossible position to win his second title at Melbourne Park, defeating Daniil Medvedev 2-6, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in a mammoth five hours and 24 minutes.
When many had written him off, the Spanish matador rose from the ashes to ascend to the top of the grand slam tree for the first time in his illustrious career.
The win was all the more remarkable given Nadal’s lack of matchplay before the beginning of last month, after ending his 2021 season early due to a persistent foot injury.
Following the agonising defeat to Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros last spring, preceded by a difficult rehabilitation process which produced little progress at times, Nadal contemplated the crushing thought of having to wave goodbye to the sport he loves so dearly.
But time and time again, the world number five has re-written the narrative and his latest triumph added another chapter to his storied career.
Following his historic win, Nadal looks hungrier than ever and is set to add at least another major to his impressive haul this year.
He proved he still has the ability to win major grand slams away from his beloved clay, a feat of which many assumed was now past him.
The key to his comeback in Sunday’s final was added aggression to his shots and ability to keep the points short.
Prevailing in long gut-busting rallies was the hallmark of Nadal’s game and he still possesses the ability to play that way and defend when required.
However, as he enjoys the twilight phase of his career, Nadal will need to finish points more swiftly and conserve his energy where possible.
As the match went on, stats show the shorter the points were in the Australian Open Final, the more success he began to achieve against Medvedev, who moves and defends as well as Nadal himself during his prime.
In the opening set, the average rally length was 6.27 shots per point, and the number decreased with each set played, with the rally length consisting of just 4.31 shots by the end of the fifth and final set.
The number of rallies of 9+ shots was as high as 28 in set two, and as low as 11 in set five when Nadal began to take the initiative.
The injection of pace and added aggression helped Nadal make history, and that formula would prove handy at the other two non-clay majors this year, Wimbledon and the US Open.
Finishing points at the net more often is also a tactic Rafa can implement, especially given his supreme ability at the net.
While he has been very successful in New York in recent years, winning his fourth title in 2019, Nadal hasn’t tasted success at the All-England Club since 2010.
The style he implemented in the final three sets in Australia is a formula that can bring him success on the fast and low bouncing grass courts at SW19, especially against members of the top 10, excluding Novak Djokovic and Matteo Berrettini, who have shown little pedigree on the grass at this point in their careers.
While Nadal’s first serve percentage dropped below 50% at times during the Aussie Open final, he was aiming to hit it faster, hence some more mistakes.
A quicker serve coupled with an aggressive game will serve Nadal well in London and Flushing Meadows, and will no doubt be a contender for both.
It may be tough at times to implement a game style very different to what he is accustomed to, but Nadal, who has improved and tinkered with his game so much over the years, will be up for the challenge.
Furthermore, his chances will be bolstered if Djokovic is unable to compete.
The world number one was forced to watch from the sidelines as Nadal pulled ahead of him in the grand slam count.
The Serbian, who was deported from Australia, may also be unable to defend his title at the French Open, after Paris declared he needs to be vaccinated to participate, as well as the US Open.
Wimbledon meanwhile, provided no assurances that Djokovic will be allowed to play, even if unvaccinated sportspeople are able to compete and train in the UK.
Although Nadal’s victory was equally impressive whether Djokovic was in the draw or not, it was an advantage for the rest of the field to no longer see his name in the draw after he was asked to leave Oz.
However, it is hard to look past Nadal regaining his Roland Garros crown provided he can stay healthy.
The tennis legend has lost just three matches at the grand slam and after the demoralising defeat last year, he will relish the prospect of lifting a 14th French Open crown.
As he alluded to in his victory speech, the Australian final win has provided Nadal with a renewed level of fitness and confidence, and he is in pole position to extend his grand slam tally beyond 21.
