Rafael Nadal's only asterisk from Australian Open won't be Djokovic but to signify GOAT

There will be no asterisk alongside Rafael Nadal’s 21st Grand Slam win.

History will soon forget Novak Djokovic was turfed out of Australia before the tournament even started.

History will only remember a triumph that ranks as one of the greatest individual sporting achievements of all time.

This was not quite Tiger Woods coming back to win the 2019 Masters because Tiger had gone 11 years without a Major.

The magnificent Nadal has only failed to win a Grand Slam in three of the past 18 years.

But it was the same mentality. A long spell out of the game with a chronic injury issue, age closing in on the net, the odds stacked against him, doubts about whether he would be able to return to the Tour.

That was the big picture. Inside the big picture was the in-play crisis.

The 2-6, 6-7, 2-3 (0-40) crisis.

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