Rafael Nadal's success means Novak Djokovic is running out of time to be the greatest

Champions. Never count them out.

On Sunday night, Daniil Medvedev learned that firsthand as Rafael Nadal made an unlikely climb to a record 21st grand slam men's singles title, elevating himself, for now, above his great rivals, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, if in number of titles won only.

But it is somewhere that Nadal might stay in something of an ironic twist.

That he took the record lead by coming from two sets down to win in five — something he had only done twice in his illustrious career and not once since 2007 when he was 22 — is a mind-bending achievement.

It's also not what one expects from a 35-year-old.

That Nadal did it against Medvedev, a metronomic but beguiling tennis puzzle — who has in the past 24 months risen from an also-ran to one of the premier players in the game — is beyond compare.

Medvedev has taken serious scalps on his rise to world number two, including Nadal's, and he has risen past other players of his generation, such as Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitispas, his semifinal victim, in doing so.

And, in the US Open final, he reduced Djokovic, who was chasing the Grand Slam to a weeping mess.

Yet Nadal had his measure.

And that was despite Medvedev hitting 20 more aces, seven more winners, making 16 fewer unforced errors and seven more total points.

When Medvedev was asked about the match and Nadal's performance, it was little wonder his response typified that of a man who could not believe he had just lost.

«It was insane,» Medvedev said of the match and Nadal's performance.

«I think the level was very high.

»You raised your level after two sets for the 21st grand slam.

«I thought, 'He is going to get tired' and, maybe, he did just a little, but [he] still won the match.»

It was part Andy Roddick