[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Felix Richter, [/box]
After Novak Djokovic had been denied the chance to defend his Australian Open title in Melbourne by Australian authorities, it looked like the stage was set for Tennis’ next generation to take the spotlight. Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas were among those who fancied their chances of breaking the dominance of the “Big Three” and winning their first (or second, in Medvedev’s case) Grand Slam title. And yet, the old guard struck back once again, and in the end it was Rafael Nadal who lifted the trophy into the Melbourne night sky.
The 35-year-old Spaniard became the first male player to reach 21 Grand Slam titles, a testament to his grit and determination in a career not short on setbacks and career-threatening injuries. Prior to the visa saga, Novak Djokovic had looked the most likely to add to his tally in Melbourne, as Nadal was coming back from a severe foot injury and Federer was absent following knee surgery. Nadal’s triumph adds another twist to the decade-spanning rivalry that has dominated tennis over the past two decades and still hasn’t reached its final chapter.
Despite Nadal’s victory down under, Djokovic looks most likely to end up with the record that all three men have been chasing for years. With Federer turning 41 this year and his last major title dating back to 2018, it seems increasingly unlikely that the Swiss maestro can add to his tally. Meanwhile Nadal’s physical playing style continues to take its toll on the 35-year-old Spaniard, who had to grab a chair during Sunday’s trophy ceremony. Djokovic, the youngest of the three at 34, still looks like the safest bet to come out on top in the Grand Slam record books, but the debate as to who is the real GOAT (Greatest of All Time) will likely live on long after the last of the “Big Three” has retired.
