Rafael Nadal Moves Into Australian Open Final, Will Bid For Record 21st Grand Slam Title

Rafael Nadal moved into the Australian Open final and now stands on the brink of history.

The 35-year-old Spaniard showed no ill effects from a five-set quarterfinal victory over Denis Shapovalov in which he dealt with an upset stomach and was efficient in dispatching No. 7 Matteo Berrettin, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, with the roof closed on Rod Laver Arena due to rain.

Nadal is into his 29th major final and will now bid for a record 21st Grand Slam singles title in Sunday’s final against either No. 2 Daniil Medvedev, the U.S. Open champion, or No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas, the French Open runner-up. Nadal is 1-4 in Australian Open finals, with his lone title Down Under coming in 2009 in five sets over Roger Federer.

“Honestly, it means a lot to me to be in the final again here,” Nadal told Jim Courier in his on-court interview.

Nadal said recently he’s not concerned with GOAT status but is seeking to surpass his longtime rivals Federer and Novak Djokovic, who are tied with him at 20 majors. Nadal is also bidding to join Djokovic among men who have won every major twice.

Djokovic, of course, was deported ahead of the tournament he has won nine times because of his failure to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

“For me it’s all about the Australian Open more than anything else, no?” Nadal said. “It’s just an amazing event. I have been a little bit unlucky during my career with some injuries and other times I played amazing finals with good chances against Novak 2012, against Roger 2017. I was close a couple of times, I feel very lucky that I won once in my career.

“But I never thought about another chance in 2022, so just try to enjoy the victory of today and after tomorrow I’m going to try my best.”

The Spaniard also became the fourth man in the Open Era to win 500 hardcourt matches, joining Federer, Djokovic and Andre Agassi. Nadal is already the only man in the Open Era to win 400 or more matches on both hardcourt and clay (464 tour-level match wins on clay).

Berrettini, the Wimbledon finalist, was not able to put up much of a fight after surviving a five-setter with Gael Monfils in the quarterfinals and five sets with Carlos Alcaraz in the third round, and fell to 0-8 against the “Big 3.”

“He seems pretty weary out there,” John McEnroe said on air.

The left-handed Nadal repeatedly pounded the Italian’s backhand and took him out of his comfort zone. On his third set point in the first set, Nadal banged a service winner to seize the set.

He then hit a cross court forehand winner for a quick break at 1-0 in the second set before going ahead a double-break at 3-0. He then hit a lovely slice backhand winner for a 4-0 lead en route to dominating the second set.

“I started the match playing great,” Nadal said. “First two sets have been one of the best so far since long time, but then I know how good is Matteo, no? He’s a very solid player, very dangerous. In the third I know that at some point he’s going to go for the shots.”

Down two sets to love, Berrettini fought hard and upped his performance on his serve, winning 23 straight service points en route to take the third set and keeping it close in the fourth. But serving at 3-4 in the fourth, he blinked on the second break point when he smacked a shot into the net.

Serving for the match at 5-3, Nadal closed it out when Berrettini hit a backhand into the net on match point. The two embraced at the net and Nadal raised his left arm to the crowd in celebration.

“We need to suffer and we need to fight, that’s the only way to be where I am today,” Nadal said.

Nadal entered 2022 having played just two matches in the previous six months after a foot injury that ruled him out of Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and required treatment in Barcelona in September. He also tested positive for Covid-19 in December.

Yet looking at his level of play now, one would never know.

“The real truth is that two months ago we didn’t know if we will be able to be back on tour at all,” he said after his quarterfinal win. “It’s just a present of life that I am here playing tennis again and I just enjoy.”