Rafael Nadal rallies in Australian Open final to win record 21st major

MELBOURNE, Australia — Rafael Nadal charged back from a two-set deficit Monday to win the Australian Open and make tennis history.

>> PHOTOS: Rafael Nadal rallies in Australian Open final to win record 21st major

Nadal defeated Daniil Medvedev 2-6, 5-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in a grueling match that took more than five hours to play to win his record-setting 21st major championship. The match ended shortly after 1 a.m. local time.

>> PHOTOS: Rafael Nadal through the years

With the victory, the Spaniard broke a tie with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic for the most men’s Grand Slam titles. He also became only the fourth man to win all four Grand Slam titles at least twice.

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“It has been one of the most emotional nights of my tennis career,” Nadal told reporters after the match. “To share the court with (Medvedev) is an honor.

“Having the huge support that I received during the three weeks is going to stay in my heart for the rest of my life.”

It took Nadal 4 hours, 39 minutes to take the lead for the first time in the match when he broke the second-seeded Medvedev in the fifth game of the final set. He then held serve after saving three break points in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead.

Both players held serve, but Medvedev broke Nadal after trailing 30-15 in the 10th game to tie the final set at 5-5. Nadal answered back by breaking Medvedev in the 11th game to take a 6-5 lead and serve for the match.

Nadal swept Medvedev in the final game, punching the air in triumph and then blowing kisses to the crowd after the 5-hour, 24-minute match.

“I asked him (after the match), are you tired?” Medvedev told reporters afterward.

It was Nadal’s sixth appearance in the Australian Open final and his first victory at the season’s first Grand Slam event since 2009. It was the 29th time Nadal has reached the final of a Grand Slam event, ESPN reported.

The victory snapped a four-match losing streak in Australian Open finals for Nadal. He improved to 4-1 against Medvedev overall and 3-1 in major title matches.

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Photos: Rafael Nadal rallies in Australian Open final to win record 21st major Rafael Nadal of Spain bites the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup as he celebrates victory in his Men's Singles Final match against Daniil Medvedev of Russia during day fourteen of the 2022 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 30, 2022, in Melbourne, Australia. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

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Photos: Rafael Nadal through the years Here are some memorable photos of tennis player Rafael Nadal through the years. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)

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