Good things tend to happen when Daniil Medvedev and Rafael Nadal take the court on opposite sides of the net.
And that is exactly what can be expected when they do so once again on Sunday night amidst the highest-possible stakes in the final of the Australian Open.
Quite memorably, they have been on a similar stage once before. The 2019 U.S. Open final between Nadal and Medvedev is without question one of the best matches of the last decade, with the Spaniard triumphing 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 after four hours and 51 minutes. Two encounters since have also been high-quality thrillers. Nadal prevailed 6-7(3), 6-3, 7-6(4) at the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals despite trailing 5-1 in the third set, while Medvedev got the best of this matchup for the first time in his career by winning 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 in the semis of the 2020 Nitto ATP Finals. Overall, Nadal leads the head-to-head series 3-1–including 2-0 on outdoor hard courts.
That certainly doesn’t make Medvedev the underdog in this particular match. In fact, he has been the overall tournament favorite ever since Novak Djokovic was deported out of Australia. Although the world No. 2 unsurprisingly made his way through to the final, it wasn’t easy. He battled through four tight sets against Maxime Cressy in the fourth round, saved a match point in an incredible 6-7(4), 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-5, 6-4 quarterfinal win over Felix Auger-Aliassime, and then pulled away from Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 following three wildly entertaining sets on Friday night.
Nadal’s most significant scare also came in the quarters, when he was less than 100 percent physically but managed to hold off Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3 after four hours and eight minutes. Another mid-match hiccup against Matteo Berrettini was more brief, as Nadal advanced to the final via a 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 decision on Friday afternoon.
“For me it’s something completely unexpected,” the 35-year-old said of being back in an Australian Open final for the sixth time, which has come on the heels of a foot injury and also a case of Covid-19. “So I am super happy. Everybody knows me; [I’m] always gonna try my best. Of course my goal now is to win.”
Winning won’t be easy against an opponent who is currently the toughest test other than Djokovic for pretty much every player on tour–at least on hard courts. Medvedev is the reigning U.S. Open champion, the 2021 Aussie Open runner-up (to Djokovic), and he will become No. 1 in the world in February when Djokovic’s 2021 title points come off the board if he triumphs on Sunday.
“It’s really tough to get into [a slam] final, and I always have [the Big 3] there waiting for me,” Medvedev noted. “But it’s fun, you know. When I was like eight, 10 years old I was playing against the wall and I was imagining that it’s Rafa on the other side, or Roger.
“Now I have the chance to play (a) second time (against Nadal in a major final). First one was a close one; epic one. I’m gonna try to prepare well and need to show my best, because that’s what I took from the three finals that I had before: that you have to do better than 100 percent in order to win. That’s what I managed to do in (the 2021) U.S. Open; that’s what I’m gonna try to do on Sunday.”
The Russian should be able to do it. At this point in their careers, with Medvedev at 25 years old and Nadal at 35, it’s a favorable matchup for the younger guy. His world-class two-handed backhand can withstand the left-hander’s heavy topspin, his serve can overpower Nadal’s return, and he can better handle the rigors of a five-setter.
Nadal would probably have to win this one in relatively swift fashion if he wants to make history with a double-career Grand Slam and major title No. 21. Given Medvedev’s form at the moment, that isn’t likely to happen.
Pick: Medvedev in 5
#21
Double career slam!
From someone who 2 months ago thought he might never play again!
The guy is beyond great. He is an icon.
So much heart, Rafa! I love you so much! What a warrior!
Where’s that troll anonymous now Rafa has won!
OH. MY. GOD!
Can you believe this?!?!?
Congrats to all the Rafans, here and everywhere!!!
(This only happens in dreams and fairytales, right? Am I really awake?)
Rafa is the first player in the Open era to come back.from 2 sets down to win the AO.
Unbelievable!
Ppl I can’t breathe!!! I can’t breathe!! I can’t breathe!!
Vamos Champ!!! 💪🥰💪🥰🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
So proud of you, Rafa!!!
We love you tennis genius!
Vaaammmmooooossss!
Wow.. rafa is now officially and finally past roger… i have been rooting for that to happen since 2006…
rafa leads the gs tally😃
I am crying like a baby. Oh my God. Thank you Rafa. Thank you so much. You have blessed me forever. I can’t believe what I saw. Rafa is the GOAT, period!
Vamos Rafaaaaa!!!!!!! No matter what!
Hey all Rafans! He did it!!!!!
Flood of tears for me!
Love ya Champ! VAMOOOOOOOOS!!!!!
#BE21EVE
REPLY
Love that Hawkeye!! U r so right!! BE21EVE!! 😄
Can you imagine if all places for Rafa to win this is at AO? After all the heartbreak?!! This is impossible to believe!!
I can’t imagine what all the experts r saying now!! Can’t wait to hear what they have to say!! Everyone had Medvedev”s hands on this cup!! Rafa always goes against the odds!!
Vamos!!
rafa is the best……
So pleased for Rafa and all his lovely fans. Never, never write him off! Such an interesting match, so full of ebbs and flows, fantastic rallies, mighty serving.
Glad he took my advice on how to win too…;)
Go get RG now!
Shame on me I didn’t believe enough and I couldn’t watch till the end, but it was self preservation bcoz my heart was suffering too much!! My 50 yr old heart can’t handle these Rafa matches anymore! 🤣😂
Anyway, I do want to say that I have a renewed respect for Medvedev. His speech was quite classy!! I wish both he and Rafa a great season.
Now I can relax going forward. I don’t care what he wins from now on!! RG, Wimby, US? I don’t care!! I just always wanted another AO!!! So now I can watch him play with calm now!! Thank you Rafa, and VAMOS!!
I am so drained. I’ll write about details later.
VAMOSSSSS RAFA! HIGH TEN RAFA FANS!!!
This is the SWEETEST Rafa victory EVER! EVER!
GET IN LINE IF YOU SAID HE’LL NEVER WIN SLAMS OUTSIDE CLAY ANYMORE! Hahahaha
Behind the sofa stuff, or even from the bottom of the road! 😉
Unbelievable event!! Ash winning and Rafa winning is the best AO tourney for me EVER!! This win and Wimby 2008 has to be way up there as one of the best matches of all time!!! Vamos, Rafa!!
I’ll have a GREAT Sunday!! 😁😊
Who is the expert now? What about Medvedev is the best hard court player after Djokovic…..Nafal cannot do it at 35…no way he can win a 5 setter… is too old to compete…his 3 – 1 h2h does not mean anything. I knew the analyst were not objective. NNY and Nadline please note I keep on visiting this site because of you…congrats!
Rafa’s serves let him down for the most part while Medvedev”s fitness wained in the end! But Rafa was still able to pull it off!! What a champion!! 😄
This is his greatest achievement in a slam final.
Great win. Really a rollercoaster final but after all the heartbreaks probably Rafa deserved it. Ironically it happens exactly 10 years after 2012 final with Djoker.
Sets him nicely for RG. He will skip US summer and ranking points earned here and good performance in European swing can bring him back in top 4 since Zverev and Tsisi both have one Masters Series to defend.
What happened? I went to sleep! Is this a joke?
I just woke up!
Oh, NNY! You missed it?!
That was the most impressive thing I have ever witnessed on a tennis court.
The fact that he was able to shove the 2012 and 2017 demons aside after he dropped serve at 5-4 in the fifth reveals a brand of mental toughness that is very likely unprecedented in all of sports.
I feel a blog coming on. 🙂
Cheryl,
I fell asleep! I was so tired! Thinking he lost! Is it real?
I sm watching it now! I can’t stop crying!
Please write a blog!
I read the result on my iPhone and thought it was some kind of joke!
E kind of joke!