Australian Open 2022 Final: Rafael Nadal vs Daniil Medvedev

[vernonbc]

To be completely honest, I think Rafa is more pleased that he got the double career grand slam than getting 21.

I agree with you. That's the record he's been aspiring to for many years and I think it was every bit as important to him as getting 21 slams. As much of a big deal the media always made over 21, I believe him when he says it would be nice but it wasn't the thing he was wanting most.

Very nice that he could get both at once though, don't you think?

 

[dapchai]

That pic reminds me of their ATP finals 2019 match lol

 

[Rickenbacker4003]

I think in the end while serving it out, Nadal was so tired that he didn’t have energy to be nervous. He threw caution to the wind. But to be fair we could say that’s how his comeback started in the third set. He looked so deflated and winded that he just went for it. He stopped playing tactical tennis and played with emotion and heart. That’s when his game got better. He stopped trying to alter his game to hurt Med and just said f it, I’m gonna be me and go for my style of play. Turn it into a street fight.

 

[El_Yotamo]

I had Rafa winning in 4 sets - congrats to everyone who predicted it would go the distance!

Also had Rafa in 4...bc I was certain he couldn't win in 5

 

[DSH]

In winning the title, Nadal has:

1. Become the first male player ever to win 21 Slam singles titles putting him at the top of the Slams Leaderboard.
2. Joined Djokovic in becoming 1 of only 2 current players to win multiple titles at all 4 Slams.
3. Become 1 of only 4 players to win multiple titles at all 4 Slams in the history of tennis (along with Laver, Emerson, Djokovic).
4. Joined Federer in becoming 1 of only 2 current players to win at least 90 singles titles.

He is also the second tennis player in the Open Era to win 7 Majors being over 30 years old. Djokovic has 8.
He also becomes the third tennis player to win a GS title being over 35 years old.
The other two are Ken Rosewall and Roger Federer.
He has surpassed Connors' record of winning the same Major after several years:
The American won Wimbledon 1982 after eight years (1974).
With the Australian Open 2022 title, it took thirteen years for Nadal to win this tournament again, setting a new record in the history of Tennis.
The Spaniard becomes the fourth tennis player in the Open Era to win at least 3 of the 4 Grand Slam events being over 30 years old.
Both Laver and Djokovic won all four past that age, while Nadal followed Rosewall in winning three of the four GS tournaments.
The Australian and the Spanish player have not been able to win Wimbledon to complete that statistic.
Nadal still has a little time to win it.
The Spaniard is the second player in the Open Era to win at least 3 GS titles on hard court while being over 30 years old, second only to Djokovic who has won 4 on that surface past that age.

 

[dapchai]

I think in the end while serving it out, Nadal was so tired that he didn’t have energy to be nervous. He threw caution to the wind. But to be fair we could say that’s how his comeback started in the third set. He looked so deflated and winded that he just went for it

His attitude reminds me of this.

 

[Rickenbacker4003]

Djokovic will be able to play again?

Dubai

 

[Rina]

How fast the narrative and the goals change? Nadal will be chasing 22 at RG. ANd will have a huge chance of getting it.
Djokovic wandered his chances by thinking some small Serbian can outplay the covid games.

 

[D.Nalby12]

He was very close to beating Nadal in straights. He was two sets up and had 3 Bps to get decisive break in third. It is not like he lost in straights or got bagelled Lol.

 

[ewiewp]

I had Rafa winning in 4 sets - congrats to everyone who predicted it would go the distance!

Could have been 4 sets if Rafa won 2nd set tb.

 

[Rickenbacker4003]

Watching how Nadal and Djokovic beat Medvedev in both of the last two AO’s you see the intangibles they possess that the next gen do not.

 

[ewiewp]

How fast the narrative and the goals change? Nadal will be chasing 22 at RG. ANd will have a huge chance of getting it.
Djokovic wandered his chances by thinking some small Serbian can outplay the covid games.

I think Rafa can win couple of more RG if he has a will left.

 

[Rickenbacker4003]

How fast the narrative and the goals change? Nadal will be chasing 22 at RG. ANd will have a huge chance of getting it.
Djokovic wandered his chances by thinking some small Serbian can outplay the covid games.

That’s the Australian government trying to scare their citizens into compliance by sending Joker back. They never had the intention of letting him play. They played him.

 

[Rickenbacker4003]

This was a last hurrah for Rafa outside of FO. I don’t see him grabbing another major outside of Paris this year or next year. This was like Brady winning with the Buccaneers. One more time for old times sake.

 

[ewiewp]

This was a last hurrah for Rafa outside of FO. I don’t see him grabbing another major outside of Paris this year or next year. This was like Brady winning with the Buccaneers. One more time for old times sake.

I've been hearing this last 15 years basically.
Also that "Rafa is not going to last much" and stuff.

 

[Ledigs]

I love rewatching and hearing all of pat mcenroes bad takes and negativity “all but over.” Maybe that was your mentality when you played pat.

 

[Ledigs]

Then John Mac says this isn’t over yet. Pat sucks.

 

[ewiewp]

I love rewatching and hearing all of pat mcenroes bad takes and negativity “all but over.” Maybe that was your mentality when you played pat.

I also remember pat said Federer is going to figure out Rafa soon in Rafa's early days.

A lot of people, including supposedly experts, have misunderstood Rafa. Still do, I think.

 

[Daniel Andrade]

Another notch on the Wikipedia bedpost for the illegitimate scourge by virtue of the continuation of unprecedentedly favourable circumstances, ineffective controls and absolutely shagged performance. The days of 'the good tennis' are a thing of the past, which is ironic given to whom the spoils befell on this microcosmically galling day. I expect neither the forest nor the trees to even register on the cognitive radars of those who share the 'whatever it takes' mentality of someone who continues to prosper in spite of the well known adage that posits the reverse. Salt was once a precious commodity, but we must surely soon reach the zenith of its involuntarily scalped inflation in light of the deplorable sporting reality we find ourselves begrudgingly trudging through. Remarkably, the sport's nadir appears ever evasive, perpetually slinking off into the future as the situation continues to submerge deeper into the depths of clockwork clutsterfuckery with the escalating catastrophic failure to produce anything of value.

Oh boy, someone's saltyyyyyyy

 

[abmk]

He was very close to beating Nadal in straights. He was two sets up and had 3 Bps to get decisive break in third. It is not like he lost in straights or got bagelled Lol.

possibly worst choke of this century. Murray beat a significantly better AND prime Djoko in Wim 13. a much better Djoko in USO 12.
ditto vs Nadal in USO 08/AO 10
Like I and many others have said Murray is clearly better than Med.

 

[Rickenbacker4003]

Nobody mentioned how well Nadal’s return of serve was in this match. Or how solid and powerful his backhand was too. For many moments in the match it was his best shot.

 

[Ray Mercer]

Medvedev is a bum. 25 years old and in the peak of your career and you can’t take down a 35 year old Nadal on hard court who hasn’t played in 6 months. Tennis is the ****s right now.

 

[Emily]

Another notch on the Wikipedia bedpost for the illegitimate scourge by virtue of the continuation of unprecedentedly favourable circumstances, ineffective controls and absolutely shagged performance. The days of 'the good tennis' are a thing of t

he past, which is ironic given to whom the spoils befell on this microcosmically galling day. I expect neither the forest nor the trees to even register on the cognitive radars of those who share the 'whatever it takes' mentality of someone who continues to prosper in spite of the well known adage that posits the reverse. Salt was once a precious commodity, but we must surely soon reach the zenith of its involuntarily scalped inflation in light of the deplorable sporting reality we find ourselves begrudgingly trudging through. Remarkably, the sport's nadir appears ever evasive, perpetually slinking off into the future as the situation continues to submerge deeper into the depths of clockwork clutsterfuckery with the escalating catastrophic failure to produce anything of value.

I
UNDERSTAND
NOOOTHING

 

[ewiewp]

Medvedev is a bum. 25 years old and in the peak of your career and you can’t take down a 35 year old Nadal on hard court who hasn’t played in 6 months. Tennis is the ****s right now.

Go easy on med. He was cramping.

 

[Rickenbacker4003]

I've been hearing this last 15 years basically.
Also that "Rafa is not going to last much" and stuff.

That’s great and all that, but he’s getting close to the end. He’s starting to get long in the tooth out there. He’s a champion and a veteran with the heart of a lion. I believe he’ll get 22 this spring, but after that it’s looking tough. This was special for sure. He was due that 2nd AO.

 

[marc45]

Medvedev should work on his fitness. He had nothing left in his tank after three and half hours of play. He got outlasted by an opponent 10 years older than him.

started a thread a while back about his body and still being so skinny after all these years...seems like a guy who could use a little less time on court and more time in the gym...got a lot of pushback but I agree with you, it's something he has to take a look at

 

[DSH]

I had forgotten about another Nadal record.
With his Australian title, it is the fifteenth season where the Spanish player has won at least one GS title: 2005-2014, 2017-2020, 2022.
Federer has eleven: 2003-2010, 2012, 2017-2018.
Djokovic has eleven, too: 2008, 2011-2016, 2018-2021.

 

[marc45]

keep trying your best, but...

@TennisPodcast
"After that I said, 'Fu**, one more time a break up in the fifth & I'm going to lose again, like in 2012, like in 2017.'" Yes, folks, that is Rafael Nadal swearing live on Eurosport It's been that kind of day.

 

[PDJ]

Congratulations to Nadal and his fans.
@MichaelNadal

 

[marc45]

 

[I Am Finnish]

USO 2019
Nadal defeated Berrettini and Medvedev back 2 back

AO 2022
He will do it again

 

[speedysteve]

some small Serbian can outplay the covid games.

Surely you mean
"some small cat Serbian...",
Or
"some small Serbian cat..."

 

[marc45]

 

[marc45]

Nadal apparently has sworn off alcohol for the last four months, no champagne tonight

 

[tennis4jags]

I had Rafa winning in 4 sets - congrats to everyone who predicted it would go the distance!

I was the one who voted correctly for Nadal QF, SF and Final.. woww what an amazing feeling like I can won my first challenger

 

[ewiewp]

I had forgotten about another Nadal record.
With his Australian title, it is the fifteenth season where the Spanish player has won at least one GS title: 2005-2014, 2017-2020, 2022.
Federer has eleven: 2003-2010, 2012, 2017-2018.
Djokovic has eleven, too: 2008, 2011-2016, 2018-2021.

15 must be longest ever, no?

 

[brinkeguthrie]

Wow, two set down comeback. Relentless. Congrats to the new GOAT. Is well deserved, no?

 

[ewiewp]

That’s great and all that, but he’s getting close to the end. He’s starting to get long in the tooth out there. He’s a champion and a veteran with the heart of a lion. I believe he’ll get 22 this spring, but after that it’s looking tough. But this was special for sure. He was due that 2nd AO.

by the way, Rafa clearly showed much more fitness problems at this AQ.
would it because he is getting old, or lack of tour matches?
you know he usually needs grinding on a few tournaments before he come back to RG in a top form....

 

[I Am Finnish]

Nadal won the Berrettini Open for the second time what a goat

 

[dapchai]

Nadal won the Berrettini Open for the second time what a goat

Where's the cat transcendence pic?

 

[killerboss]

Thought Nadal had blown it at 5-4 5th set and had his 30-15 moment to Fed's 40-15. Somehow he managed to break back though and seal the match.

 

[marc45]

Novak Djokovic

@DjokerNole
Congratulations to
@RafaelNadal
for 21st GS. Amazing achievement. Always impressive fighting spirit that prevailed another time. Enhorabuena
@Medwed33
gave it his all out there and played with the passion and determination we have come to expect from him.

 

[Rickenbacker4003]

Medvedev is a bum. 25 years old and in the peak of your career and you can’t take down a 35 year old Nadal on hard court who hasn’t played in 6 months. Tennis is the ****s right now.

Well 6 others played him before and all failed. Med beat 34 year old Novak on hardcourt in New York. So your argument fails, but we get you’re upset because Nadal won

 

[Mustard]

Wow. What a match. Epic way to get to 21.

 

[I Am Finnish]

Where's the cat transcendence pic?

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

@vive le beau jeu !

@TearTheRoofOff

@AnOctorokForDinner

Thoughts?

 

[Mustard]

Tennis Channel is rebroadcasting the match at 1 p.m. I hope it's the entire match and not like they did with the semi and only showed the fourth set.

So to all the "Nadal is too old" at 35, when is only one year older than Djokovic, I say: you were wrong and need to admit it. Rafa is the greatest problem solver ever in men's tennis. He makes adjustments and finds a way to win and as a result he now has 21 GRAND SLAMS!!!!

He could afford to go flat out in the final, to leave nothing in the tank at the end.

 

[I Am Finnish]

@dapchai Djokovic won the Berrettini Open twice too

 

[Rickenbacker4003]

I think some Nadal fans would have traded at least one of those 13 FO’s for one more AO title to get that double career grand slam. It had eluded him since 2012. Better late than never. It also puts him at 90 career titles on the dot. Today was a day of redemption for Rafa.

 

[dapchai]

@dapchai Djokovic won the Berrettini Open twice too

So many Berrettini Opens... thanks to a pro tennis player.