Rafael Nadal is one win away from 21and Grand Slam singles title.
The 35-year-old Spaniard advanced to the Australian Open final for the sixth time with a 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 win over seventh-seeded Italian Matteo Berrettini series.
He will have to defeat defending US Open champion Daniil Medvedev on Sunday to make history.
Medvedev, on the other hand, continues his own quest for a piece of tennis history after winning the last five games to defeat Stefanos Tsitispas 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in a a passionate semi-final. He is aiming to become the first professional-era men’s player to win his second Grand Slam title at the next major tournament.
Medvedev, seeded second, went through a lot of emotions to advance to his second straight Australian Open final. He had to deal with a hostile crowd in his second-round victory over Nick Kyrgios, had to save match point and come from a two-set deficit to overcome Felix Auger-Aliassime in a quarter-final of nearly five hours, and had to regain his composure after an outburst of anger against the referee on Friday.
He shouted at chair umpire Jaume Campistol after losing serve in the second set, demanding that Tsitsipas be cautioned for taking advice from his father in the crowd. He took a five-minute break after giving up the set, regained control at the end of the third set and then dominated the final five games when Tsitsipas was finally booked for being dragged in from the stands.
Nadal relieved
Nadal’s journey to 29and Grand Slam final was relatively more serene.
After the last point, he stopped, smiled broadly and then raised his fist in the air three times.
Nadal arrived in Australia with doubts after a break of several months due to a serious foot injury and then an episode of COVID-19. He missed Wimbledon after losing in the French Open semi-final to Novak Djokovic, and he didn’t play at all after August.
“Every day has been a problem in terms of foot problems. The doubts are still there…probably for the rest of my career because I have what I have and it’s something we can’t cure, commented Nadal. But for me, it’s amazing… (to) just compete and play high-level tennis again, against the best players on the planet.”
Last month, he wasn’t even sure he would be able to make a return to the circuit. But he won a warm-up tournament in Melbourne to start 2022 and won six consecutive matches in the first Grand Slam tournament of the year.
Another victory and he will better the record of 20 major titles he shares with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Nadal would also become the fourth player to win all four Grand Slam titles at least twice.
Date with history
Nadal’s victory over Wimbledon runner-up Berrettini under a closed Rod Laver Stadium roof due to heavy rain was his 500th on hard courts on the circuit. He has only won the Australian Open once, in 2009.
Adding a second was his only goal after another semi-final victory.
“For me, the Australian Open means a lot, admitted Nadal during his television interview on the ground. I’ve been a bit unlucky (here) in my career with a few injuries. I played incredible finals with good chances.
He lost memorable five-set finals in Melbourne to Djokovic in 2012 and Federer in 2017. Nadal also lost in four sets to Stanislas Wawrinka in 2014 and suffered a three-set loss to Djokovic three years ago.
“I feel very lucky to have won once,” he added. I never considered having another chance in 2022.”
Nadal broke Berrettini’s serve from the start in the first two sets and, after losing the third set to a rare break, he pulled himself together to finish the match in just under three hours. . That in itself was a relief after his five-set victory over Denis Shapovalov two days earlier in the quarter-finals.
Nadal was the only member of the famous ‘Big Three’ who has the opportunity to break the deadlock in Australia this time.
Federer is out in Australia as he continues his recovery from knee surgery. Djokovic, who won nine of his Grand Slam titles at Melbourne Park, was kicked out of the country after an 11-day visa saga on the eve of the tournament because he failed to meet Australia’s strict requirements regarding vaccination against COVID-19.
“To be able to be where I am today, I really cannot explain in words how important it is for me in terms of energy, personal satisfaction, recognition, mentioned Nadal. For me, it’s something completely unexpected, so I’m super happy.
“For me, it’s a gift to be here and play tennis.”
He also explained that he took a different approach in his preparation, but he couldn’t really change his approach on the pitch.
“I now take things a little differently. Of course always with the spirit of competition that I have, because I can’t do otherwise. It’s in my DNA. But to be just who I am and to be able to have the opportunity to compete at this level, it is a positive energy for me to continue.
Medevedev will have to adopt a calmer approach after beating Tsitsipas in the semi-finals for the second consecutive year in Melbourne. He lost to Djokovic in last year’s final but then beat the world No. 1 to clinch the US Open title.
“I’m going to play against one of the greats again,” Medvedev said of Sunday’s final. Again, I’m going to face someone looking for a 21st Slam. I’m ready.”