LONDON: The numbers don’t lie. Rafael Nadal stands by myself on 21 Grand Slam titles, breaking a tie with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic within the race to be topped the best male tennis participant of all time. The collection of primary titles isn’t the one issue used to decide the place avid gamers sit down within the pantheon however it’s increasingly more used because the go-to metric.
Nadal performed down his astonishing success following his grueling five-set win over Daniil Medvedev within the Australian Open ultimate within the early hours of Monday. The 35-year-old Spaniard stated he didn’t care a lot whether or not his twenty first name made him the most efficient participant in historical past or now not. However many lovers are captivated by means of the controversy about who will in the end emerge from the golden age of guys’s tennis on most sensible, with each and every of the “Giant 3” supported by means of their very own phalanx of diehard supporters. Swiss nice Federer was once out on his personal as the game’s alpha male when he overtook Pete Sampras’ file of 14 Grand Slam wins at Wimbledon in 2009, with Nadal trailing on six majors and Djokovic on only one.
As the frenzy of giant titles started to gradual for Federer from 2010, his two nice opponents stepped at the accelerator, constantly profitable Grand Slams over the next decade, despite the fact that Federer returned to profitable tactics in 2017 and 2018. Nadal pulled stage on 20 Slams after profitable the French Open in 2020 and Djokovic joined the birthday party after scooping 3 majors all through a stellar 2021 season.
However the Spaniard is now out on his personal after what he known as “the most important comeback of my profession” to finish a 2-6, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 win in Melbourne. Nadal now has 58 “Giant Titles”, outlined by means of the boys’s ATP Excursion as a trophy at a Grand Slam championship, ATP Finals, Masters 1000 match or an Olympic singles gold medal.
He’s the fourth guy in historical past to seize no less than two trophies in any respect 4 Grand Slams, a feat additionally accomplished by means of Djokovic. Federer has received essentially the most general profession singles titles of the 3, along with his tally of 103 handiest bettered by means of American Jimmy Connors, who received 109. Djokovic is out on his personal in the case of time spent at primary, notching 358 weeks on the most sensible up to now, with Federer on 310 and Nadal on 209.
The Serbian, who lags in the back of his two primary opponents within the reputation stakes, additionally boasts a profitable file in head-to-head suits in opposition to each, even if Nadal edges Djokovic of their Grand Slam conferences. So what subsequent within the combat for tennis immortality? Nadal didn’t must confront both of his nice opponents in Melbourne. Federer was once absent injured and Djokovic, unvaccinated in opposition to coronavirus, was once deported at the eve of the match after Australia cancelled his visa.
The way forward for Federer, 40, is the most important unknown as he works his long ago from a chronic proper knee damage that limited him to only 5 tournaments final yr. He does now not be expecting to be in motion once more for months and has stated it’s not going he’ll be are compatible for Wimbledon, the place he realistically has his absolute best likelihood of profitable any other primary.
International primary Djokovic, a yr more youthful than Nadal, has time on his aspect despite the fact that he’s nonetheless a veteran within the males’s recreation. Remaining yr he got here inside one fit of finishing the calendar-year Grand Slam – profitable all 4 majors in one yr – however was once soundly overwhelmed within the ultimate of the United States Open by means of Medvedev.
Problems off the court docket may just scupper the Serbian participant’s bid to finally end up on most sensible. There are severe questions over whether or not he’ll be capable of protect his French Open name beneath present COVID-19 regulations and he may additionally now not be capable of play in the United States Open for a similar explanation why. If Djokovic isn’t at Roland Garros, Nadal can be a powerful favourite to win a 14th French Open name.
Nadal himself questioned if he would even play once more after a foot damage sidelined him for a lot of final season however, exhaustion apart, he’ll now be taking a look ahead to the remainder of the season with a spring in his step. – AFP