Rafael Nadal was the definition of never giving up and fighting for every point during matches.
Throughout his illustrious career the Spaniard was regarded by many as the greatest competitor to ever step foot on a tennis court.
The 38-year-old was also renowned for his resilience and ability to come back from injuries and get back to the top of the game.
But there was one match Rafael Nadal played during his career where his resiliency and will to win was significantly tested.
Rafael Nadal thought he was ‘going to lose’ the 2022 Australian Open final before completing a comeback
By 2022 when he was aged 35, Nadal was no stranger to the big occasion.
The former World number one entered that year’s Australian Open with little matchplay from the previous months and a seeding of number six.
But he exceeded expectations and reached the final, where he faced Daniil Medvedev, who defeated Novak Djokovic to win the US Open at the previous major.
The Russian made a strong start in Melbourne and took the first two sets, and the win predictor gave Nadal just a 4% chance to make a comeback. The man himself doubted whether or not he could turn the match around.
But the great Spaniard did just that and after a gripping contest that lasted over five hours, Nadal became a two-time Australian Open champion.
Commenting on how he turned the match around, Nadal told Spanish outlet AS: “I thought I was going to lose. But it was very important not to let myself go. I’ve been a player with a good capacity for self-control.
“I haven’t been a frustrated tennis player on the court, and accepting things allows you to find solutions. The 4% was worth fighting for. That’s always been my point of view.”
Rafael Nadal made history after winning 2022 Australian Open
Nadal’s 2022 Australian Open victory was a historic one as broke the male Grand Slam record by winning 21st major. He won a 22nd at the 2022 French Open, before Djokovic set a new record in 2023.
Nadal also became just the fourth man to win every major at least twice and he is the first player in the Open Era to win an Australian Open final after losing the first two sets.
Nadal’s 2022 Australian Open win was arguably his greatest since beating Roger Federer to win his first Wimbledon title in 2008.
On that day he ended Federer’s five-year unbeaten run at Wimbledon and proceeded to become the World number one later that year.
Commenting on what that monumental victory at SW19 did for his career, Nadal shared: “It was one of the most difficult matches to manage in my career because of what that moment meant to me.
“It was my third Wimbledon final after losing to him in 2006 and 2007. I was hurting, and winning it gave me a confidence boost, proving to myself that I could win big tournaments outside of clay.”
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