History reaches out to Rafael Nadal.
It could be written, finally the Spaniard could write it, Sunday in Melbourne, on the Rod Laver Arena.
He, the King of Roland-Garros, is only one match away from distancing himself from two other legends, his two main rivals, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
And become, at 35 and at the Australian Open, the first to win 21 Grand Slam titles, one more than the Swiss and the Serb, unvaccinated and expelled from Australia before the start of the Tournament.
Focus on some key figures in the career of "Rafa", before his final which will oppose him to Daniil Medvedev, on Sunday.
1 win in Australia
It was in 2009, in the final against Roger Federer, after a long fight of 4 hours and 23 minutes, played in five sets (7-5, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2).
That year, it was also the only Grand Slam title that the Spaniard won, notably failing for the first time in his young career at Roland-Garros, in the round of 16 against the Swede Robin Söderling.
4 finals lost in Melbourne
The Majorcan lost four of his five finals played in Melbourne, in 2012 and 2019 against Novak Djokovic, in 2014 against Stan Wawrinka and in 2017 against Roger Federer.
Three years ago, for his last appearance on the closing Sunday at the Rod Laver Arena, he had not existed and had been swept away by the Serbian world No. 1, in three sets (6-3, 6-2, 6-3).
It's a sixth #AusOpen final for @RafaelNadal 🙌
He outlasts Matteo Berrettini in a 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3 thriller 👏 #AusOpen #AO2022
🎥: @wwos @espn @eurosport @wowowtennis pic. twitter.com/UIbtfGbKvq
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2022
500 wins on hard
By beating Italian Matteo Berrettini in the semifinals on Friday and reaching the final of the Australian Open, Rafael Nadal won the 500th match of his hard court career.
He became the fourth player to reach this level, after Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Read alsoAustralian Open: 8th Grand Slam title for Kristina Mladenovic, victorious in mixed doubles
89 trophies
While waiting for the next one (maybe Sunday), Rafael Nadal has already lifted 89 trophies on the circuit (including 36 in Masters 1000).
By way of comparison, Novak Djokovic has won 86 and Roger Federer 103. The last title gleaned by "Rafa" dates back to the Master 1000 in Rome, in May 2021. Last year, he had only won two (in Barcelona, a month earlier), disturbed by physical glitches.
The absolute record during the Open era being held by Jimmy Connors (149 tournaments won).
29 Grand Slam finals
Rafael Nadal will play his 29th Grand Slam final on Sunday (6 at the Australian Open, 13 at Roland-Garros, 5 at Wimbledon and 5 at the US Open).
Only Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, with 31 finals played, do better than the Spanish left-hander.
Australian Open: Eternal, Nadal qualifies for the final and will aim for a record 21st Grand Slam title on Sunday
➡️ https://t.co/tpWH3EP58b pic.twitter.com/4BbmAQb5Tf
— The Parisian |
sport (@leparisiensport) January 28, 2022
20 Grand Slam wins
Rafael Nadal could become the first Open-era player to claim a 21st Grand Slam title on Sunday at the Australian Open.
He would thus put Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic behind him, also at 20, and would widen the gap a little more with Pete Sampras, 14 Grand Slam successes and fourth in this ranking behind the Big 3.
13 titles at Roland-Garros
The Mallorcan has won the French Open 13 times, which is a record of victories in the same Grand Slam tournament.
He won 106 times on clay in Paris and never lost in the final.
His only four defeats at Porte d'Auteuil date back to 2009 (defeat against Robin Söderling in 8th), 2015 (defeat against Djokovic in the quarters), 2016 (forfeit before his 3rd round against Granollers) and last year, in the semi-finals , facing the same Novak Djokovic.
5 Davis Cup wins
With the Spanish selection, Rafael Nadal lifted the Davis Cup five times, in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2019. Under the jersey of La Roja, he also won the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 ( single) and in 2016 in Rio (double) with Marc Lopez, after marching as the flag bearer of his delegation during the opening ceremony.