Rafael Nadal wins a record 21st Men's Singles Major

[Puma Cat]

Today Rafael Nadal won his 21st Major Men's Singles Tennis Title by defeating Daniil Medvedev 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 at the Australian Open in Melbourne in a truly epic 5 hr, 24 min match, the second longest match in Men's Open competition history. It took Nadal 4 hrs and 49 minutes of very tough competition to finally take the lead in the match.

Rafa's competition history is one of the most remarkable in the history of sports, especially when considering professional singles tennis is a solo sport and coaching during match play is prohibited.

Nadal is 21 for 29 in Mens Majors Singles Finals competition for a winning percentage of 72%.

In 18 years of Open competition:
21 Majors
36 Masters 1000 titles
2 times "Career Slams" (winning every major at least twice)
2 times Olympic champion
1038 victories

And...*never once* broken a racket in anger.

CLASS. LEADERSHIP.

Vamos, Rafa! Well done!

[bart]

A real pity that the arguably best tennis player wasn't allowed to participate...

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by bart

A real pity that the arguably best tennis player wasn't allowed to participate...

Rafa is the best player, but if Novax Djokovic had gotten fully vaccinated, he would have been able to play. It's real simple.

[bart]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Rafa is the best player, but you're referring to Novax Djokovic, he could have participated if he had done the right thing 1) for Society 2) for public health, and 3) the people and players around him and had gotten fully vaccinated.

Stephen, we will have to agree to disagree.
These jabs have absolutely nothing to do with vaccines.
And people in the field, like me, see their terribly disastrous effects.
Daily.

But let's not get political, or we'll likely be banned.

[audioguy3107]

Originally Posted by bart

Stephen But let's not get political, or we'll likely be banned.

Well, regardless of politics, if they don’t stop transmission in its tracks, which they don’t, it shouldn’t make any difference to anyone other than the recipient.

- Buck

[Zelkop]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Rafa is the best player.

Of their 58 matches, 27 have been on hard courts, 27 have been on clay, and 4 have been on grass. Nadal leads on clay (19–8), while Djokovic leads on hard courts (20–7). They are tied on grass (2–2).

[Formerly YB-2]

Originally Posted by bart

A real pity that the arguably best tennis player wasn't allowed to participate...

No pity. He chose to lie and not follow the rules and got booted. Works for me.

[audioguy3107]

I watched the last 2 hours, incredible, reminded me of their epic duel at the US Open a couple of years ago. They were both running on fumes but Nadal is just on another level with things on the line.

- Buck

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by audioguy3107

I watched the last 2 hours, incredible, reminded me of their epic duel at the US Open a couple of years ago. They were both running on fumes but Nadal is just on another level with things on the line.

- Buck

Yep!

Q: Who would you want on your SEAL team? A: Rafa!

[audioguy3107]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Yep!

Who would you want on your SEAL team?

Rafa is a total machine, a couple of my close friends (and my wife) have a friendly wager on the best player….they’re huge Federer fans…..for the last several years I always get on them when Nadal would win another major and they’ll get all pissy, it’s pretty funny, now he’s on the top all alone. I texted my friend this morning and aside from the quality of the tennis, he was a little grumpy!

- Buck