Sunday, January 30, 2022 – 00:30 WIB
VIVA – Rafael Nadal is in search of a record 21 Grand Slam titles to beat Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer who now both have 20.
The opportunity was wide open when the Spaniard confirmed himself to appear in the final of the 2022 Australian Open after defeating Italian Matteo Berrettini in the semifinals 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, last Friday.
It will be Nadal’s sixth final at the Australian Open. Of the five previous finals, the left-handed tennis player only managed to bring home one title when he defeated Roger Federer in the 2009 edition of the top party.
As for today’s final, Nadal will face Russia’s world number two, Daniil Medvedev. In his record encounters with Medvedev, Nadal is 3-1 up, including when he beat the 25-year-old in the 2019 US Open final.
Meanwhile, Medvedev’s one victory was achieved in their last meeting in the semifinals of the 2020 ATP Finals. Nadal is indeed superior in terms of experience and title record. He has not even missed being ranked in the top 10 in the world since 2005 until now, including spending 209 weeks as world number one.
Nadal has a 297-41 win-loss record in Grand Slam tournaments, and 75-15 during his participation in the Australian Open. The tennis player who is now ranked fifth in the world is unbeaten this season with a record 10 wins in a row, including defeating Italian Matteo Berrettini in the semifinals of the Australian Open on Friday.
But the 35-year-old also faces a tough challenge having started the 2022 season after suffering a chronic foot injury and contracting COVID-19 in December last year.
