Rafael Nadal will be playing for a milestone title in the Australian Open men’s singles final against US Open champion Daniil Medvedev on Sunday.
Right before the historic match, World No. 1 women’s doubles pair of Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova defeated unseeded Anna Danilina and Beatriz Haddad Maia in the women’s doubles final.
If Rafa were to win this final at Melbourne Park, he will be eyeing several records. Take a look at a few:
The most grand slam titles since 2009
Nadal is just one win away from winning the first Grand Slam championship of 2022.
Since Wimbledon finished last July, the first man to win 21 Grand Slam titles has been the subject of much debate in tennis. The race for 21 has been a long time coming, with Nadal missing so many months of the season owing to his deportation the night before his Australian Open title defence was set to begin.
Also Read: History to be made in Australian Open 2022 final between Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev
Nadal is tied for the record, 20, with the absent Novak Djokovic — a nine-time Australian Open champion who had his visa revoked for failing to meet the country’s strict COVID-19 requirements — and Roger Federer, who still recovering from right knee surgery.
Federer has held the record since 2009, when he surpassed Pete Sampras, with the 2018 Australian Open crown putting him at 20, according to an article in Fox Sports.
“Being very honest, for me it’s much more important to have the chance to play tennis than to win the 21, no?” Nadal has been quoted as saying.
Also Read: Australia Open 2022: All you need to know about COVID-19 protocols
More records
This victory will get Nadal closer to the overall record of 24 held by Margaret Court. He would also be nearing Serena Williams’ 23 and Steffi Graf’s 22.
Strike rate
Rafa has also maintained a better strike rate than his rivals, except for his defeats at his last four finals at Melbourne Park. Out of the 28 matches, he has played so far, Nadal has won 20 of them. Compare this to Federer and Djokovic, who have won 20 out of a total of 31 Slam finals.
Moreover, Nadal is the only player to reach 20 Slam finals in the Open era, reported Fox Sports.
Also Read: From almost skipping Australia to verge of 21st Slam win: Nadal eyes history
Australian Open finals
The Sunday final will be the Spanish player’s sixth game in an Australian Open final, a close third to Djokovic’s nine, and seven by John Bromwich, Federer, Roy Emerson, and Jack Crawford.
Age is just a number
Thirty-five-year-old Nadal is the fourth-oldest man and the fifth oldest man aged 35 or over to reach the Australian Open final in the Open era.
This puts him after Ken Rosewall, Mal Anderson, Andre Agassi, and Federer. Interestingly, if his opponent 25-year-old Medvedev wins, he will hold the record of becoming the youngest Australian Open winner since Djokovic’s victory in 2013.
Also Read: Wildcards to winners: Kyrgios and Kokkinakis clinch Australian Open doubles
Only three men – Rosewall (twice) and Federer are the only men who have won the final at an age older than Nadal’s.
(With inputs from Fox Sports)
