Topline
Tennis star Rafael Nadal won a record 21st Grand Slam men’s single title after defeating Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final Sunday, breaking a three-way tie between him, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer for the most wins at the sport’s top four tournaments.
Rafael Nadal reacts after winning a point against Daniil Medvedev in the men’s singles final at the … [+] Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Key Facts
Nadal won 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5, marking the fourth time he has defeated Medvedev out of the five times they’ve played each other since their first match in 2019.
Nadal has won the French Open 13 times (a record for any Grand Slam tournament), the U.S. Open four times, and Wimbledon and the Australian Open twice each.
Last year, Medvedev shut down Djokovic’s bid to reach 21 Grand Slam wins and break the three-way tie when he defeated Djokovic during the finals of the U.S. Open.
Big Number
$125 million. That’s how much prize money Nadal has taken home since he went pro in 2001 at age 15, according to Forbes. He’ll get another $2.8 million payout for winning the Australian Open.
Key Background
Nadal was the only player of the “Big Three” to compete in this year’s Australian Open. Djokovic was deported from Australia ahead of the tournament over his failure to comply with the country’s Covid-19 vaccination policy for travelers. Federer sat out of the Australian Open as he continues to recover from two knee surgeries last year, with plans to return to tour later in 2022.
Further Reading
Djokovic’s Sponsors Stick By Him Or Stay Silent—But He Could Lose Millions From Missing Grand Slams (Forbes)
Rafael Nadal Moves Into Australian Open Final, Will Bid For Record 21st Grand Slam Title (Forbes)
