Rafa Reigns: Nadal fights back to clinch the Australian Open and lift 21st Grand Slam title

Melbourne, Jan 30: Title No. 21! In an epic final in Melbourne, Rafael Nadal reigned supreme as he fought back to down a fighting Daniil Medvedev to clinch his 21st Grand Slam title on Sunday.

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On a historic night in Melbourne, the 35-year-old Nadal broke the men's record for most Grand Slam singles titles as he picked up his second Australian Open trophy. The Spaniard had to fight har as he fought back from two sets down to beat the Russian Medvedev in an Australian Open final that lasted 5 hours and 24 minutes.

The 35-year-old was broken when serving for the championship at 5-4 in the fifth set but made no mistake the next time. It was the second longest Australian Open final after Novak Djokovic beat Nadal in five sets in 5 hours and 53 minutes in 2012. Nadal lost four other finals at Melbourne Park before his dramatic win over US Open champion Medvedev.

Nadal now has one more than Roger Federer and Djokovic, his long-time rivals in the so-called Big Three. With the 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 win that started Sunday night and was delayed for a while in the second set when a protester jumped onto the court, Nadal also becomes just the fourth man in history to win all four of the sport's major titles at least twice.

Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic - the 'Big Three' had 20 grand slams title each to their name, and ahead of the tournament, favourites had pegged Djokovic to win the race to title no. 21. But with Djokovic heading back home after his visa had been rejected, it was Nadal who laid his hands on the historic title at the Rod Laver Arena and became the first player to achieve the feat.

In Nadal's sizzling category, this is the second time the Spaniard laid hands on the Australian Open title. The King of Clay, who won the first ever grand slam in 2005, has 13 French Open titles to his name, along with four US Open titles, two Wimbledon titles and two Australian Open titles. The previous title he won his Melbourne was in 2009.

In the epic final which lasted over five hours, the Spaniard looked down as Medvedev won the first two sets. A determined Rafa brought his experience to the front as he overcame a tired Medvedev in Melbourne.

Medvedev lost his second Australian Open final after losing to Djokovic last year. Also this is the second time that the Russian player has lost to Nadal in a Grand Slam final after losing to the Spaniard in the 2019 US Open.

(With inputs from PTI & agencies)