Rafael Nadal wins record 21st major with five-set defeat of Daniil Medvedev in Australian Open final

An inspired Rafael Nadal has claimed a record 21st major after fighting back from two sets down to defeat Daniil Medvedev in a gripping Australian Open men's final.

After an exhausting 5 hours and 24 minutes on court inside Rod Laver Arena, Nadal prevailed in five sets 2-6, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in a match that did not finish until just after 1am AEDT.

The victory moves Nadal ahead of his great rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer to the top of the men's all-time major winners list.

Nadal served for the championship at 5-4 in the fifth set, only for world number two Medvedev to show nerves of steel to break his opponent to level the set at 5-5.

But when he broke Medvedev in the following game, Nadal had another chance to serve out the match at 6-5 and this time he made no mistake.

After shaking hands with Medvedev at the net, Nadal fell to the court on his knees amid the wild applause of the crowd, most of whom had been behind him the entire match.

He then celebrated his remarkable victory with his support team sitting in his player's box, a fitting moment considering the struggles the 35-year-old has been through after a foot injury ended his 2021 season early.

It is Nadal's second Australian Open championship, 13 years after his first. He became the fourth male player to win each major at least twice.

«It is just amazing. A month-and-a-half ago I didn't know if I would be back on the tour playing tennis again and today I am here in front of all of you having this trophy with me,» Nadal said at his presentation ceremony.

«Having this trophy with me, you don't know how much I fought to be here. I can't thank [you] enough [for] all of the support I received since I arrived here.»

Nadal said he would cherish his victory.

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