CHENNAI: One of the most poignant moments of a wildly entertaining men’s final between Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev came a few moments after it. Dripping in sweat, the visibly exhausted Spaniard found comfort in sitting in his chair. That’s when a montage of the 33-year-old’s greatest hits appeared on the screen inside the cavernous Arthur Ashe stadium. It started with him winning his first Major in 2005. As a motionless Nadal watched, the tears freely flowed.
For a man who doesn’t usually express his feelings this way, that moment encapsulated his struggle while outlasting the Russian over 289 pendulum-swinging minutes. Of course, there is also a deeper meaning. There is always a deeper meaning when one of the sport’s high priests feature in a Slam final. On Saturday, the world watched as Bianca Andreescu outhit, outfought and out Serena’d Serena Williams to stop the latter from equalling Margaret Court’s record of 24 singles Majors.
On Sunday, Nadal very nearly slipped but held his nerve to move to within one of the Roger Federer’s men’s singles record of 20. The margin of one is the closest Nadal has ever been to the Swiss. The montage, in a way, also surely reminded him of the pain and suffering his body has taken in recent times. Name a part of the human anatomy and it’s likely that the surgeon’s scalpel has poked and prodded Nadal in that area. Knee? Repaired more times than an Indian highway. Foot? Exposed to X-rays almost every other week. Ankle? Had more problems than a mathematics textbook... you get the gist. It’s been wrecked beyond recognition. In fact, there was a period when he worried more about his health than his play.
Now, he has learned to stop worrying and just enjoy his game again. Since the Rome Masters in May, he has lost one match (Wimbledon semifinal against Roger Federer). That isn’t late-career form but someone who has just found his second wind.
Going forward, he wants to concentrate on playing tennis because ‘I love to play tennis’. The GOAT debate can come later. “This trophy means everything to me today,” he said. “I would love to be the one who wins more, but I am not thinking and I’m not going to practice every day or playing tennis for it,” Nadal said.
“I’m playing tennis because I love to play tennis. I can’t just think about Grand Slams. Tennis is more than Grand Slams. I need to think about the rest of the things. I play to be happy. Of course, the victory makes me super happy.”What he displayed against Medvedev, and by extension, 2019, ought to make him super happy because it was a continuation of his evolution. He is an all-terrain expert, who has added new weapons to his arsenal. The improvements in his serves are worthy of a story in itself. That’s before you add his increasing love for attack over defence while also adding a decent backhand.
Heck, he even spent a considerable amount of time within handshaking distance of Medvedev because of the abundance of netplay. Of the 341 points, Nadal was at the net 66 times, winning 51. He has successfully married new things in his game to become a more successful player — after winning one Slam and zero on hard courts from 2014 and 2016, he has gone on to win five Majors including two on hard courts in the last three years.
However, for all the adjustments he has made over the last couple of years, one trait remains the same. That will to fight through pain and suffering to win. That pain and suffering was visible in his tears inside the sport’s biggest theatre on Sunday night.
2019: prevails in instant classic
The Spaniard withstands a memorable comeback to hand the red-hot Medvedev just a third defeat in 23 matches in the North American summer hardcourt season, having also beaten him in the final at Montreal in August.
2017: makes it a hat-trick at new york
Nadal defeats Kevin Anderson 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to capture his third US Open title. It was Nadal’s first hardcourt title since 2014. His path to the trophy was considerably eased by not having to face a single opponent ranked inside the top 20. Djokovic missed the tournament, while Federer lost in quarterfinals.
2013: avenges Djokovic defeat in style
Nadal wins his 13th career Grand Slam title by defeating Djokovic 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Having lost in the 2011 final to Djokovic and missed the following year’s event with knee tendinitis, Nadal moves past Roy Emerson to third on the all-time Slam list with the win.
2010: completes career Grand Slam
Nadal defeats Djokovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 to capture his first US Open title and complete a career GS. With his ninth Slam title, Nadal becomes the first Spanish man to take the US Open since Manuel Orantes in 1975.