Rafael Nadal picks the Grand Slam final which even he thought he was about to lose before he ended up lifting the trophy

Rafael Nadal picks the Grand Slam final which even he thought he was about to lose before he ended up lifting the trophy

Rafael Nadal recently revealed that the Grand Slam final he thought he was going to lose—even as he played it—was the 2022 Australian Open final against Daniil Medvedev. In that unforgettable match, Nadal fell behind by two sets and looked physically drained, trailing 2-6, 6-7 with Medvedev dominating the baseline exchanges and dictating play.

Nadal admitted that at multiple points during the match, especially early in the third set, he felt the match was slipping away and believed he wouldn’t be able to mount a comeback. He later said that even though he tried to stay focused point by point, deep down he was nearly convinced this final was going to end in defeat.

But in classic Nadal fashion, something shifted. Fueled by determination and sheer willpower, he began clawing his way back into the match. His footwork became sharper, his forehand more aggressive, and his energy, though fading, was channeled into every rally. As the Melbourne crowd roared behind him, Nadal rallied to win the third set 6-4, then the fourth by the same score, and finally completed one of the greatest comebacks in tennis history by taking the fifth set 7-5.

That victory not only earned Nadal his second Australian Open title but also gave him his 21st Grand Slam, moving him ahead of both Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic at the time. For Nadal, it wasn’t just another title—it was a personal triumph, overcoming months of injury, self-doubt, and exhaustion on the sport’s biggest stage.

Even now, he says that night stands out not just because of the win, but because of how close he came to giving up—if only in his mind. And yet, in true Nadal fashion, he fought until the very end.