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TennisAustralian Open: Rafael Nadal Wows The World Defeating Daniil Medvedev, Winning 21st Grand Slam Title
- Spanish tennis giant Rafael Nadal defeated Daniil Medvedev to win his record-breaking 21st Grand Slam at the Australian Open
- In a match lasting more than five epic hours, Nadal had to dig very deep, coming back after Medvedev led by two sets at one point in the match
- Celebrities and ordinary citizens ran out of superlatives to describe the momentous occasion in Melbourne
Spanish tennis great Rafael Nadal was the toast of the world in defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final of the 2022 Australian Open.
Nadal won the five hour epic in Melbourne on Sunday 2-6 6-7 6-4 6-4 7-5, having come back from two sets down at one point. In the process, he became the first male tennis player to win 21 grand slam titles, moving ahead of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, who are tied on 20 titles each.
His victory was the number one trending story on Twitter worldwide as the match gripped viewers from beginning to end, with Mzansi having its say, too.
@atiku, Atiku Abubakar, former vice president of Nigeria said:
Congratulations to Rafael Nadal on the historic achievement of 21 Grand Slams. His extraordinary comeback is a lesson in never giving up even against all odds. #AO2022
@boblarney said:
"I think its safe to say... #RafaelNadal is the greatest. The greatest fighter in all of sport. Never give up mentality, tenacity & pitbull like nature is admirable to say the least! #AusOpen #AO2022 #sstennis"
@Maaanuu26:
"Nadal is 35 years old, constantly dealing with injuries during his career, and just came back from 2 sets down against the tournament favourite and won his 21st GrandSlam! You won’t EVER hear of this again! Rafael Nadal, you are SPECIAL! #AusOpen #sstennis"
@Bimboh5
"It is the Miracle in Melbourne! Rafa Nadal from 0-2 down, wins #AustralianOpen 3-2 setting a record of 21 grand slam. The Matador has done it! A great night for Spanish. #SSTennis #AusOpen"
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Football@madamemerola said:
"Congratulations to @RafaelNadal on an unbelievable and unforgettable match to win his 21 Trophy Grand Slam and 2nd @AustralianOpen. Never give up on yourself no matter what. #SSTennis #RafaelNadal. So happy and inspired right now."