The great, unique Rafael Nadal is still as conquering despite the weight of the years and the pangs of injury.
Sunday, in Melbourne, the 35-year-old Spaniard will play against Stefanos Tsitsipas or Daniil Medvedev - who will fight it out this Friday morning, from 9:30 a.m. - 10 a.m. - his 29th Grand Slam final, his 6th at the Open Australia.
Only one victory in Melbourne, in 2009
Crowned only once on the mainland island, in 2009 (the complex year which saw him lower the flag at Roland-Garros against the Swede Robin Soderling), the conquistador of Majorca will try to sail towards a 21st title, the record in Grand Slam.
It's a sixth #AusOpen final for @RafaelNadal 🙌
He outlasts Matteo Berrettini in a 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3 thriller đź‘Ź #AusOpen #AO2022
🎥: @wwos @espn @eurosport @wowowtennis pic. twitter.com/UIbtfGbKvq
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2022
To find yourself in the situation of taking control in the race for the "GOAT" - "Greatest of all time", the greatest player of all time, counting one more Major victory than Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, Nadal was not unduly worried in the semi-final by the young Italian Matteo Berrettini (faller of Gaël Monfils in the quarter and in five sets on Wednesday) 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in 2:55 on Friday.
The absence of Djokovic, expelled from Australia
It was at this stage of the tournament that he could have, that he should have met his great rival Novak Djokovic.
In the draw, the Serb had indeed been placed in this part of the table.
But the world number 1, unvaccinated, was finally expelled from the country by the Australian justice just before the start of this Grand Slam, epilogue of a case that will mark the history of tennis.
Without a missed service game in the 4th set, Nadal, superior to the recent Wimbledon finalist, would probably have closed the deal in three sets.
“I only think of the Australian Open”
“I only think of the Australian Open! assured the Spaniard in the post-match interview on the court, at the microphone of Jim Courier.
I played very well in the first two sets.
It's been a long time since I've played so well.
Then he played better, I made a bad game on my serve at 4-3 and he found his shots.
But we have to fight!
added, provoking a standing ovation from the audience.
Last year, Nadal was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Tsitsipas after leading 2 sets to 0.
A true rebirth
This Friday, the match was played with the roof closed due to very heavy rain accompanied by very strong winds.
"Everyone knows I'm an outdoor player," Nadal said.
But with the roof closed, there is even more atmosphere and I like that.
So I can't complain…”
It is a rebirth for the Spaniard, operated on his left foot in September 2021 but still hampered by "a scaphoid broken in two", as he recently recalled, despite the humility he never departs from. .
Also in Melbourne, France's Kristina Mladenovic won the mixed doubles title last night alongside Croatian Ivan Dodig, beating the Australian pair Jaimee Fourlis - Jason Kubler 6-3, 6-4 in the final.
Eliminated in singles in the first round by the Swiss Belinda Bencic (22nd) and in doubles associated with Caroline Garcia in the 2nd round, the 28-year-old Frenchwoman nevertheless adds an 8th Grand Slam title to her list.
