When Rafael Nadal was in Abu Dhabi six weeks ago, there was a certain resignation about the Spaniard. He had just competed in the Mubadala World Tennis Championships, a regular pre-season event for Nadal, and had lost both matches.
Those matches, against Andy Murray and Denis Shapovalov, were his first since August when he called time on his 2021 season after a chronic foot injury became too painful to manage. The latest in a litany of injuries that have disrupted the career of a generational athlete, after persistent ankle and knee issues, the foot appeared the most problematic of the lot.
Even after surgery and extended rest, Nadal admitted in the UAE he had no idea what the future held and that he couldn't “guarantee” he would play at the Australian Open — but having been in similar positions in the past, he retained the “motivation and passion” that he could still “be competitive enough” in the big tournaments.
Fast forward to Sunday and that unwavering belief was on full display throughout Nadal's gladiatorial battle with Daniil Medvedev inside Rod Laver Arena. Just six weeks after revealing the full extent of his foot “disaster” and only five weeks removed from contracting Covid-19 which left him “very sick”, Nadal was once again on top of the tennis world, this time as the greatest male champion in Grand Slam history.
A second Australian Open title, delivered 13 years after the first, was achieved in barely believable circumstances, coming after five-and-a-half hours of attritional warfare against the world's second-best player, who was on the brink of successive major titles before Nadal, staring into the abyss at two-sets down, mounted his remarkable fightback.
To win his 21st major trophy, which moved him ahead of long-time rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, Nadal spent a total 22 hours and 23 minutes on court at Melbourne Park. Like most things in the Spaniard's career, it was a campaign full of grit and fight, supplemented by the finest forehand tennis has ever seen.
“It has been more emotional than the first one, no doubt about that,” Nadal, 35, said nearly 17 years after winning his maiden major at the 2005 French Open as a teenage debutant. “At later stages of your career, I think you are able to enjoy more these moments because you know the chances are less.
Rafael Nadal's 21 Grand Slam titles
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RAFAEL NADAL'S 21 GRAND SLAM TITLES: 1) Rafael Nadal wins his first Grand Slam at the 2005 French Open. Getty Images -
2) Rafael Nadal wins the 2006 French Open. Getty Images -
3) Rafael Nadal makes it three in a row at the 2007 French Open. Getty Images -
4) Rafael Nadal secures a fourth straight Roland Garros title at the 2008 French Open. Getty Images -
5) Rafael Nadal win his first major away from the French Open at the 2008 Wimbledon Championships. Getty Images -
6) Rafael Nadal won major title No 6 at the 2009 Australian Open, his first Grand Slam on hard courts. Getty Images -
7) Rafael Nadal wins his fifth Roland Garros title at the 2010 French Open. Getty Images -
8) Rafael Nadal becomes a two-time Wimbledon champion at the 2010 Championships. AFP -
9) Rafael Nadal completes the career Grand Slam by winning the 2010 US Open. AFP -
10) Rafael Nadal reaches 10 Grand Slam titles with his sixth Roland Garros triumph at the 2011 French Open. AFP -
11) Rafael Nadal wins the 2012 French Open, his seventh title in Paris. Getty Images -
12) Rafael Nadal wins a fourth straight Roland Garros for the second time in his career at the 2013 French Open. AFP -
13) Rafael Nadal wins his second US Open title at the 2013 tournament. Getty Images -
14) Rafael Nadal wins a fifth successive Roland Garros title at the 2014 French Open. AFP -
15) Rafael Nadal brings up his French Open La Decima at the 2017 tournament in Paris. AP Photo -
16) Rafael Nadal wins the 2017 US Open for his 16th Grand Slam title. Reuters -
17) Rafael Nadal wins his 11th Roland Garros title at the 2018 French Open. AFP -
18) Rafael Nadal wins his 12th Roland Garros title at the 2019 French Open. AFP -
19) Rafael Nadal claims his fourth US Open title at the 2019 tournament. Reuters -
20) Rafael Nadal pulls level with Roger Federer on a record 20 major titles with his 13th trophy in Paris after winning the 2020 French Open. AFP -
21) Rafael Nadal becomes the most successful male player in history with his 21st major title, won at the 2022 Australian Open. AAP -
22) Nadal makes it a record-extending 22 majors with victory in the 2022 French Open. EPA
“When you are 19, when I achieved the first, of course is super special, but you know if you are playing well, you’re going to keep having chances to enjoy moments. Today you never know what can happen. Of course I am proud. The personal satisfaction is higher than years ago. I just stay more in the moment without thinking so far in front.”
Considering the countless setbacks — he has missed at least 10 Grand Slam tournaments due to injury — it feels as though Nadal has been staying in the moment for years now, cherishing each victory as if it were his last. It is a never-say-die, live-in-the-moment mentality, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, that has resonated with, and inspired, many of his fellow pros and millions of fans across the globe.
Equally, while Nadal is all intense stares and scowls on the court, the humility and grace with which he carries himself and represents his sport has helped make him such a popular champion. The immediate outpouring of support following his historic achievement in Melbourne, chief among them Djokovic and Federer, is testament to how he is regarded as an athlete and a human being.
“A month and a half ago, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to be here,” Nadal said. “I want to keep going. Things can change quickly but I feel lucky to have the chance to compete this way.
“It has been amazing for me and unforgettable. Of course I feel more confident that I’m going to keep going, keep fighting and playing this sport that makes me happy. I just feel confident that now I am going to have my chances to keep playing like this.”
Confidence restored and Grand Slam No 21 safely secured, that next “chance” for a record-extending 22nd major will come in May at the French Open, where Nadal has won a mere 13 titles.
