THE UNDERDOG TRIUMPHS

Tennis star Rafael Nadal made history with his 21St Grand Slam title win at this year’s Australian Open

- KIM ABRAHAMS

THE odds were heavily stacked against him. His opponent was 10 years younger, a towering 1,98m Russian with a creative game and the skill and stamina of an athlete in his prime.

Rafael Nadal, by contrast, was 1,85m tall, 35 years old, beset with injuries, and exhausted after a gruelling road to the Australian Open final.

For a while, it looked like Daniil Medvedev would cruise home – he was two sets to love up, cool as a cucumber, while across the court Rafa sweated buckets in the Rod Laver Arena.

But the Spaniard hung on to fight an astonishing battle that’s been hailed one of the greatest comebacks of all time, taking the match 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 – and making tennis history in the process.

Rafa is now the holder of 21 Grand Slam singles titles, the most of all time, edging past Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic who each have 20 titles.

It was the first time in more than 20 years Rafa managed to come back from two sets down in a Grand Slam final and he spoke of his delight after his win.

“If we put everything together – the scenario, the momentum, what it means. Yeah, without a doubt it’s probably the biggest comeback of my tennis career.”

It’s all the more astonishing when you consider he had a five-month layoff due to a foot injury and tested positive for Covid-19 in December.

Yet each time he stepped onto the court he outplayed his opponent – sometimes even to his own surprise.

He considered his victory over Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the quarterfinals a “miracle”, admitting his body had taken a beating.