{"id":24967,"date":"2022-01-30T10:46:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-30T15:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24967"},"modified":"2022-01-31T08:49:20","modified_gmt":"2022-01-31T13:49:20","slug":"nadal-wins-record-breaking-21st-grand-slam-with-australian-open-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24967","title":{"rendered":"Nadal Wins Record-Breaking 21st Grand Slam With Australian Open Victory"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates match point in his Men\u2019s Singles Final match against Daniil Medvedev of Russia (Getty Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rafael Nadal has won a record-breaking 21st grand slam title, beating Daniil Medvedev 2-6 6-7 (5) 6-4 6-4 7-5 in the Australian Open tennis men\u2019s singles final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of the build-up focused on the historic significance of the Spaniard bidding for his 21st grand slam title, but he found himself under pressure from the start on Rod Laver Arena.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medvedev stamped his authority on the final by dominating the first set. Nadal saved two break points in a long third game but was then broken to love in the fifth as Medvedev, who was booed onto court by a section of the crowd, proved the steadier from the baseline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Successive double faults then contributed to a second straight break and Medvedev served out the set 6-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were dramatic scenes with Nadal facing break point serving for the second set at 5-3 when a man waving a banner jumped out of the crowd and down onto the court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was only meters from Medvedev but was immediately tackled by several security men and hauled away before the match resumed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nadal began to play more offensively in the second set and twice managed to break the Medvedev serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But holding his own proved a constant challenge and Medvedev twice responded, saving a set point at 5-3 before hitting back to level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Into a tie-break they went, and again Nadal led 5-3, but this time Medvedev produced a sequence of fine points to take it 7-5, ending it with a backhand pass and taunting the crowd, who responded with boos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nadal had not recovered from two sets down to win a match since beating Mikhail Youzhny at Wimbledon in 2007, while he faded physically after the first two sets against Denis Shapovalov and Matteo Berrettini here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But his competitive desire has never been in doubt and recovering from 0-40 at 2-3 in third set to hold galvanized the Spaniard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Medvedev beginning to look weary and muddled in his shot selection, Nadal pounced at 4-4 before serving out the set 6-4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medvedev was allowing himself to become increasingly wound up by the crowd, appealing repeatedly to umpire John Blom to control the \u201cidiots\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His mood was not improved when he double-faulted to drop serve in the third game of the fourth set and, although he got back on terms immediately, Nadal took his seventh break point in the next game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nadal created a set point on his opponent\u2019s serve at 5-3, which Medvedev saved, but the 20-time grand slam champion took it 6-4 on his own serve to level the contest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both men headed off court for a bathroom break but Medvedev could not break Nadal\u2019s momentum, a trademark forehand passing shot from the Spaniard giving him a 3-2 lead in the deciding set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Russian had three chances to break back in the next game but could not take any of them and Nadal was two points away at 30-0 serving at 5-4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But a double fault proved costly \u2013 and betrayed the tension of the moment \u2013 and a netted backhand from Nadal saw Medvedev break back for 5-5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Russian, though, could not hold his own serve, giving Nadal a second chance to serve for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This time he did not falter, bringing up three match points and clinching it 2-6 6-7 (5) 6-4 6-4 7-5 after five hours and 24 minutes at 1.11am local time.<\/p>\n

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