Federer - AO 2017
Federer had not won a slam in four and half years, he entered the event not having played since Wimbledon 2016, where his knee gave out against Raonic. The image of Federer lying face first on the grass with a concerned Raonic looking on looked ominous at the time. Federer arrives into Melbourne and beats not one, not two, not three but four top ten players, which included winning three matches that went into a fifth set. He defeated the former AO champion and winner of the slam last played, Wawrinka in the semis, and follows it up completely changing the script on his greatest rival Nadal, who he had not defeated in a slam in over 9 and half years.....1-3 down in the fifth, Federer hits 23 winners against Nadal and wins his 18th slam in the most dramatic fashion....he ends it by going down on one knee, a stark contrast to the way he ended it at Wimbledon a few months ago.
Nadal - AO 2022
Nadal had not won the AO in 13 years heading into the event, and was coming in after being dethroned by his greatest rival on his own court at PC in one of the greatest clay matches of all time. Nadal coming in recovering from an injury and essentially not playing any competitive tennis in months, takes out Shapovalov in five sets despite suffering severe dehydration issues. He returns back to take out Berrettini and then does something in the final that he had not done since W 2007, and that is win a match after being 0-2 down. He fights off a 0-40 situation in the third set and starts what is the greatest comeback of his life against Medvedev who had just won the USO and stopped Djokovic's CYGS. Nadal edges the match out in a brutal five hours to finally take the slam lead and be the first to reach 21.
Djokovic - AO 2023
Djokovic had to watch from afar as the event the year before took place without him, the reigning defending undisputed GOAT of AO lost his title without hitting a ball, the mental and emotional turmoil that set in post that event was enough to crush any mere mortal, after watching Nadal pull further away in Paris, Novak had his back against the wall to respond and respond he did by winning Wimbledon and pulling it back to just one slam. Allowed back into Australia, it was now time to prove a point, to show his greatness and reclaim the one thing he never really lost, he gets injured in Adelaide against Medvedev, casting doubts on his form and health heading into his redemption AO. Novak comes in and plays one of his most aggressive ever AO, taking no prisoners, dealing with the injury, not practising on his days off, the two weeks were a true test of his will to win. He defeats the in form Tsitsipas in the final and catches Nadal, tying the slam race back at 22-22, the perfect ending to what was a chaotic year and with it reclaims his number one ranking to allow himself the chance to break the all time record of both men and women at the top.
