Rafael Nadal didn’t want to know anything about new challenges at first.
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Tired and somehow unsure, the Spaniard remained vague after one of “the greatest heroic deeds in the history of sport”, as the Spanish newspaper “As” described his Australian Open triumph. “I don’t know what can happen in the future,” Nadal admitted: “I would love to try and play a little more this year.”
He showed what’s in his battered body even at the age of 35. And that he still hasn’t had enough. However, it remains unclear how often the Spaniard will be seen on the tennis stage in the coming months and what he will be able to do in the future.
In the “Big Three” competition, the new record Grand Slam winner now has the best cards (for now) given Novak Djokovic’s vaccination question and Roger Federer’s ailing body. He might even be the only one of the trio to play the French Open. And yes, his historic success has given him renewed energy and confidence. Will he compete in Melbourne again in 2023? No, he can’t say that, according to Nadal.
Nadal was in top form
He has not yet decided on his tournament planning for the coming weeks. “A little more” leaves a lot open. After all, the Mallorcan only played two matches in the second half of 2021. His foot injury threatened his dazzling career but now withstood the stress. This is one of the reasons why Nadal appreciates his second title Down Under and his first since 2009.
After a short night with little sleep, Nadal made the last official appointments in Melbourne before he wanted to enjoy his 21st Grand Slam title at home for a few days. Nadal admitted that his body “didn’t feel good” when he posed with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup in the afternoon. He gratefully accepted an umbrella for shade and sat down heavily on the lawn at the Governor’s Office in Victoria.
At the victory ceremony after the thrilling 2: 6, 6: 7 (5: 7), 6: 4, 6: 4, 7: 5 against the Russian Daniil Medvedev, who was ten years his junior, Nadal needed a chair. For the first time since Wimbledon 2007, he had managed to turn a 0-2 set deficit. «Rafael Nadal’s body may crunch, but his desire remains undiminished. The 35-year-old was in top form to win his 21st Grand Slam title and there may be more to come, despite his injury history,” wrote the English newspaper The Guardian. The Italian “La Gazzetta dello Sport” wrote: “Nadal, you are immortal!”
Medvedev leader of the next generation
Medvedev was also impressed: “It was unreal.” The 25-year-old missed the chance of his second Grand Slam title and the prospect of being able to replace Djokovic as number one in February. However, he proved that he is the leader of the next generation that wants to increasingly crumble the phalanx of the big three. Medvedev is currently ahead of Olympic champion Alexander Zverev and will also be able to prevent Nadal (21), Djokovic (20) and Federer (20) from expanding their collection of titles in Paris, Wimbledon and London.
If the old stars compete at all. Since Djokovic’s Wimbledon victory, there had been intensive talk about the hunt for the 21st title. The focus was on the Serb – and not Nadal. After all, neither Nadal nor Federer were on the tour. In Melbourne, the lost Corona court dispute over his visa took Djokovic out of the game.
In Dubai at the end of February he wants to return to the ATP tour. But if the 34-year-old remains unvaccinated, he can also expect to be excluded from the French Open and Wimbledon. While the 40-year-old Swiss Federer is wondering when and if he will come back and participation in Wimbledon would come as a surprise, Nadal can attack title 22 at the French Open in May. “I stay more in the moment without thinking too far ahead,” said the red ash specialist. He sees the competition for the Grand Slam collection calmly. “In the end, it doesn’t matter that much if one has 21 and the other 20. If one stops at 23 and the others at 21.” (dpa)
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