Rafael Nadal defeated Daniil Medvedev 2–6, 6–7(5–7), 6–4, 6–4, 7–5 on 30 January 2022 to win his second Australian Open title and a then-record 21st Grand Slam singles crown.
Two sets down, one last belief
The match stretched across 5 hours and 24 minutes inside Rod Laver Arena. Medvedev, riding a 13-match win streak at majors and considered the firm favourite on hardcourt, started ruthlessly. He broke twice to take the first set 6–2 and then erased a 5–3 Nadal lead in the second-set tiebreak, snatching four straight points for a two-set advantage.
A hold from 0–40 that shifted history
Early in the third set, Nadal served at 2–3 and faced three break points at 0–40. ESPN commentator Patrick McEnroe said flatly, “This is all but over.” Nadal saved the first two, then watched Medvedev tighten on the third — a high backhand sailed long and a drop-shot attempt landed short, tracked down by the Spaniard.
Nadal held serve and the momentum spun. At 4–4 he broke Medvedev with a backhand passing shot, then served out the set 6–4. He broke again at 2–2 in the fourth with a drop shot and a cross-court backhand, levelling the match at two sets apiece.
21 for the first time
Nadal led by a break in the fifth before Medvedev clawed back to 5–5. The ghosts of Melbourne — break leads squandered in the 2012 and 2017 finals — stirred again. “I said, ‘F*ck, one more time, break up in the fifth, I gonna lose the advantage again like in 2012 and 2017,’” he later told the BBC.
He did not lose it. Nadal broke back immediately and served out the championship at love, becoming the first man in the Open Era to win an Australian Open final from two sets down. The 13-year gap between his two titles at the event set another record for a single major.
“I just wanted to keep believing till the end,” he told reporters afterwards. The title lifted him past Djokovic and Federer to stand alone on 21 major singles trophies.
