<p>Rafael Nadal roared back from two sets down to win a titanic five-set duel with Daniil Medvedev and claim a record 21st Grand Slam men's title in the Australian Open final on Sunday.</p>.<p>The Spanish great looked dead and buried as the Russian world number two carved out a two-set lead but Nadal surged home for one of his mightiest comebacks wins 2-6, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in 5hr 24min on Rod Laver Arena.</p>.<p>Nadal came out on top in the physical war of attrition to move ahead of era rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on the all-time list of men's major winners.</p>.<p>Djokovic missed his chance to improve on his nine Australian Open wins when he was deported over-vaccination issues on the eve of the tournament, while Federer is injured.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/nadals-journey-to-a-mens-record-21-grand-slam-titles-1076263.html">Nadal's journey to a men's record 21 Grand Slam titles</a></strong></p>.<p>It was one of the 35-year-old Spanish warrior's greatest title victories in his 29th Grand Slam final winning his second Australian Open, 13 years after his first in 2009.</p>.<p>Nadal also became only the fourth man to win each of the four Grand Slams twice and the third-oldest man in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam title, behind Ken Rosewall and Federer.</p>.<p>The final went down to the bitter end with Nadal being broken as he served for the championship only for the Spaniard to break back.</p>.<p>On his second attempt to serve it out, Nadal powered to three match points to win amid chaotic scenes in his player's box and the frenzied crowd.</p>.<p>It is the fourth time in his storied career that Nadal had clawed back to win from two sets down and the second time Nadal had denied Medvedev in a Grand Slam final, winning a five-set epic at the 2019 US Open.</p>.<p>It crowned an extraordinary effort from Nadal at the year's opening major, having to modify his game to compensate for a degenerative bone disease in his left foot that ended his 2021 season last August.</p>.<p>He then caught Covid in December which, he said, made him "very sick".</p>.<p>Medvedev had wrecked Djokovic's calendar Grand Slam push and bid for a 21st title in New York four months ago and was aiming to do the same to Nadal in Melbourne.</p>.<p>Medvedev lost his second consecutive Australian Open final after falling in straight sets to Djokovic in last year's final.</p>.<p>Nadal now leads Medvedev 4-1, with the Russian also losing to the Spanish lefty in his first major final at the 2019 US Open over five sets.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
<p>Rafael Nadal roared back from two sets down to win a titanic five-set duel with Daniil Medvedev and claim a record 21st Grand Slam men's title in the Australian Open final on Sunday.</p>.<p>The Spanish great looked dead and buried as the Russian world number two carved out a two-set lead but Nadal surged home for one of his mightiest comebacks wins 2-6, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in 5hr 24min on Rod Laver Arena.</p>.<p>Nadal came out on top in the physical war of attrition to move ahead of era rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on the all-time list of men's major winners.</p>.<p>Djokovic missed his chance to improve on his nine Australian Open wins when he was deported over-vaccination issues on the eve of the tournament, while Federer is injured.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/nadals-journey-to-a-mens-record-21-grand-slam-titles-1076263.html">Nadal's journey to a men's record 21 Grand Slam titles</a></strong></p>.<p>It was one of the 35-year-old Spanish warrior's greatest title victories in his 29th Grand Slam final winning his second Australian Open, 13 years after his first in 2009.</p>.<p>Nadal also became only the fourth man to win each of the four Grand Slams twice and the third-oldest man in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam title, behind Ken Rosewall and Federer.</p>.<p>The final went down to the bitter end with Nadal being broken as he served for the championship only for the Spaniard to break back.</p>.<p>On his second attempt to serve it out, Nadal powered to three match points to win amid chaotic scenes in his player's box and the frenzied crowd.</p>.<p>It is the fourth time in his storied career that Nadal had clawed back to win from two sets down and the second time Nadal had denied Medvedev in a Grand Slam final, winning a five-set epic at the 2019 US Open.</p>.<p>It crowned an extraordinary effort from Nadal at the year's opening major, having to modify his game to compensate for a degenerative bone disease in his left foot that ended his 2021 season last August.</p>.<p>He then caught Covid in December which, he said, made him "very sick".</p>.<p>Medvedev had wrecked Djokovic's calendar Grand Slam push and bid for a 21st title in New York four months ago and was aiming to do the same to Nadal in Melbourne.</p>.<p>Medvedev lost his second consecutive Australian Open final after falling in straight sets to Djokovic in last year's final.</p>.<p>Nadal now leads Medvedev 4-1, with the Russian also losing to the Spanish lefty in his first major final at the 2019 US Open over five sets.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>