It was the afternoon after the night before and sleep had been “super difficult”, Rafael Nadal admitted. But only hours after completing a fightback so extraordinary that even Rod Laver, a man who did the calendar-year grand slam twice, hailed his achievement as “Herculean”, the humble Spaniard was not about to lose his sense of perspective.
Nadal doesn’t deal in superlatives, and while it didn’t take long for others to bring up Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic at the traditional Government House photocall the day after the Australian Open final, his elation at winning a second title in Melbourne far outweighed any thoughts of overtaking his two great rivals with a 21st major.
“We always have been very respectful with each other,” said Nadal, 35, who was congratulated by Federer and Djokovic on social media following his epic win over Daniil Medvedev.
“I think we understood the rivalry in a positive way during all of our careers. I received plenty of messages. I am sorry that I was not able yet to answer every one, as you can imagine. I really feel very proud about the way that we managed our rivalry during all our careers. At the end of the day it is just a game, and in some ways we achieved more than what we ever dreamed when we were kids.
“So at the end, it doesn’t matter that much if one has 21, and the others have 20, or one finishes with 23 and the others with 21. We did, I think, very important things for our sport, and we achieved our dreams and enjoyed it. I feel lucky to be part of this era, that has been very special for our sport.”
It is only weeks since Nadal’s involvement in the golden age of the men’s game looked like it might be over. But after a spectacularly successful return from the foot injury that forced him to write off the second half of last season – and which threatened to end his career for good – thoughts will inevitably turn to Paris in springtime, and the possibility of a 14th French Open title.
Nadal said he would take time to savour his achievement before considering his schedule for the weeks ahead. He has entered the Mexican Open, which begins in Acapulco in three weeks’ time, but there is no obvious need for further competitive outings at this stage of the season. After winning all 10 of his matches in Australia, a run that included victory in the Melbourne Summer Set, rest is the priority.
“Now I am just enjoying the moment,” said Nadal. “I need to be back, I need to see how my body recovers from an amazing month and then I’m going to make my decision, probably in the next week.
“My passion, my love for the game is still very high as everybody can see. I just want to enjoy the moment and keep going, keep trying to enjoy this beautiful sport. I was not able to do it very often the last two years, so I would love to play a little bit more this year.”
There were also words of comfort for Medvedev, who said after the match that the derision of the staunchly pro-Nadal crowd had killed his childhood dreams. Medvedev’s fractious relationship with the locals began during his second-round match against home favourite Nick Kygrios, when he mistook chants of “Siuuu” – inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo’s signature goal celebration – for booing. The Russian later accused those who called out between his first and second serves of having “a low IQ”, and did little to endear himself further to the Rod Laver Arena crowd with his explosive rant at the umpire during his turbulent semi-final win over Stefanos Tsitsipas.
During the final, Medvedev urged chair umpire John Blom to take control of the audience, branding them “idiots” with “empty brains”. He later suggested their animus was motivated by anti-Russian sentiment. Nadal sympathised with his vanquished opponent, but expressed confidence that Medvedev would win over his detractors in years to come.
“Daniil, sometimes on court, is very passionate,” said Nadal. “But face to face he is a very nice guy. He a very intelligent guy, a good person and in some ways I felt sorry that he thought like this after the match.
“It is something, that feeling, that happened in that moment, because it’s tough to lose a match like this, with almost all the crowd supporting your opponent. But I am sure that he has plenty of time to enjoy amazing crowds in his favour here in Australia and around the world, and he will experience this amazing feeling. I don’t have any doubt about that.”
Nadal was the subject of similarly warm words from Federer, who missed the Australian Open to continue with his rehabilitation following knee surgery.
“”What a match!” the Swiss wrote on Instagram. “To my friend and great rival Rafael Nadal, heartfelt congratulations on becoming the first man to win 21 grand slam singles titles.
“A few months ago we were joking about both being on crutches… amazing. Never underestimate a great champion.
“Your incredible work ethic, dedication and fighting spirit are an inspiration to me and countless others around the world. I am proud to share this era with you and honoured to play a role in pushing you to achieve more – as you have done for me for the past 18 years.
“I am sure you have more achievements ahead but, for now, enjoy this one!”
Djokovic likewise hailed Nadal’s “amazing achievement”. “Always impressive fighting spirit that prevailed another time,” the world No 1 wrote on Twitter.
Asked where the title stood in his roster of achievements, Nadal stopped short of proclaiming it his greatest, but said it ranked among the most emotional moments of his career.
“The most unexpected, without a doubt,” said the champion. “It has been very emotional, a very special one I think, for all the things that happened during the last [few] months. To be able to compete again and do it in the way that I did, is just something unforgettable. It’s one of the most emotional finals in my tennis career.”