Rafael Nadal defies all logic once again with historic Australian Open triumph

When Rafael Nadal was in Abu Dhabi six weeks ago, there was a certain resignation about the Spaniard. He had just competed in the Mubadala World Tennis Championships, a regular pre-season event for Nadal, and had lost both matches.

Those matches, against Andy Murray and Denis Shapovalov, were his first since August when he called time on his 2021 season after a chronic foot injury became too painful to manage. The latest in a litany of injuries that have disrupted the career of a generational athlete, after persistent ankle and knee issues, the foot appeared the most problematic of the lot.

Even after surgery and extended rest, Nadal admitted in the UAE he had no idea what the future held and that he couldn't “guarantee” he would play at the Australian Open — but having been in similar positions in the past, he retained the “motivation and passion” that he could still “be competitive enough” in the big tournaments.

Fast forward to Sunday and that unwavering belief was on full display throughout Nadal's gladiatorial battle with Daniil Medvedev inside Rod Laver Arena. Just six weeks after revealing the full extent of his foot “disaster” and only five weeks removed from contracting Covid-19 which left him “very sick”, Nadal was once again on top of the tennis world, this time as the greatest male champion in Grand Slam history.

A second Australian Open title, delivered 13 years after the first, was achieved in barely believable circumstances, coming after five-and-a-half hours of attritional warfare against the world's second-best player, who was on the brink of successive major titles before Nadal, staring into the abyss at two-sets down, mounted his remarkable fightback.

To win his 21st major trophy, which moved him ahead