Rafael Nadal vs Daniil Medvedev – Australian Open final: Live scores and game-by-game updates

Rafael Nadal put himself ahead in the race for the great Grand Slam by securing a sensational victory in the final of the Australian Open.

The 35-year-old Spaniard registered the most dramatic victory of his career as he defeated Daniil Medvedev 2-6 6-7 6-4 6-4 7-5 before a frenzied crowd in Melbourne.

With a time of 1 pm, he achieved it with a high backhand volley to reach the final in five hours and 24 minutes. It was an astonishing feat, both stamina and tactical prowess as he called his shredded backhands and dropshots.

Nadal is now one ahead of absent Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on 21 Grand Slam titles with the upcoming French Open. Like Federer in 2017, he won the tournament in the second half of the previous season despite missing out on a protracted injury.

With both players running smoky, they registered their first win by two sets in fourteen years. Aside from Wimbledon 2008, it was certainly his best Grand Slam achievement to date, and certainly his least likely.

Medvedev was helped by the roof being closed due to rain, which is not Spain’s favorite environment. Russia powered Nadal back in the first set with a continuation of an unprecedented first serve of 82 percent.

Nadal made a conscious effort to play close to the baseline in the second and threw some beautifully flying dropshots to misjudge his gangly opponent.

Twice he led a break, but was never able to strike the killer blow as the Russians refused to budge. An intruder protesting about refugee treatment arrived in court at 5-3 p.m., but was quickly dealt with by security.

The Spaniard went 5–3 in the tiebreak, only for Medvedev to maintain superb depth on his shots when it mattered most, and he ran through four straight points, the last of them rasping a backhand from that line. Went down that sealed an 84-minute set.

At 3-2 in the third, Medvedev scored three break points with a more scintillating defense and another backhand down the line, but a decisive blow hit them all.

This proved to be a turning point, with the Russians becoming increasingly furious by the crowd, applauding them sarcastically while breaking for 4–5. The roof was almost lifted from the Rod Laver Arena when Nadal closed the set out.

A brilliant fourth set began, with breaks being exchanged before Nadal took the lead. As time progressed to midnight, mistakes were made with the spectacular winners, and both players showed signs of fatigue, with the Russian rubbing his thighs.

He asked umpire John Blom to intervene among the crowd, saying some of them were ‘stupid’. “Step up man, Grand Slam final,” he said to the chair, who asked to calm down again.

Nadal had a set point 5-3 against serve, but was forced wide and missed a forehand. As the clock struck midnight, he served the set to love.

The Spaniard broke 3-2 in the fifth set with a backhand pass and with a massage to his thighs during the change, trying to get a third or fourth wind with his opponent.

He served at 5–4, but broke 30–0, terribly double faulting in the process. Then came another bite on Mahima, as at the third break point, Medvedev hit the ball long enough to hand back the initiative. This time there was no mistake and they served it with love.