"Rafael Nadal was the warrior, Iron Man, the last man standing" - Jon Levine on Spaniard's epic 5-set win in Australian Open final
Rafael Nadal has won several marathon Grand Slam matches over the course of his illustrious career. But his titanic effort to come back from two sets down against Daniil Medvedev in the final of the 2022 Australian Open might be one of his most special.
Not only did the win put Nadal ahead of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in the Grand Slam race with 21 titles, it also ended the Spaniard's 13-year-long wait for a second Australian Open crown.
Members of the tennis fraternity have spoken highly of the Spaniard's performance against Medvedev, especially the fighting spirit that he showed to stay in the encounter. Former tennis players Mats Wilander and Jon Levine are the latest to laud the Spaniard's record-breaking win.
In conversation with Andy Zodin, host of the KickServeRadio.com podcast, Levine said that the former World No. 1 needed to be given credit for the way he was able to lift the level of his game in the crunch moments.
"Anything can happen in any match and you do in the end, have to give all the credit to Nadal," Levine said. "Because, I mean, let's face it, the guy pulls out some incredible shots and incredible points in the biggest points."
"He makes the greatest shots and you just don't know how he gets some of these shots back," he continued. "Yeah, and he does it in the big moments and and so you got to, you know, 35 years old and that kind of a five set gruelling match."
Levine went on to describe the World No. 5 as a "warrior" who was able to outlast a much-younger opponent in one of the biggest matches of his career, while also likening him to comic book superhero Iron Man.
"You know, he was in the end, he was the warrior and he outdueled," Levine said "It was like the, you know, like Iron Man, right? I mean, he's the was the last man standing"
"This is the most unlikely comeback and Grand Slam victory that I have witnessed" - Mats Wilander on Rafael Nadal
Wilander echoed Levine's words, saying the Spaniard's win over Medvedev was "the most unlikely" Grand Slam victory that he had witnessed.
The 57-year-old said Nadal's win at the Melbourne warm-up event played a key role in his Australian Open triumph as it gave him confidence heading into the season's first Major.
"This is the most unlikely comeback and Grand Slam victory that I think I have witnessed unless I go back to maybe when Rafa won his first French Open," Wilander said. "But then again, that wasn't an incredible comeback. I don't know how we survived against Shapovalova, was great against Matteo."
"Against Medevedev, after 10 minutes, [looked like] there was no chance," he continued. "He's needed to turn this match around and I have no idea how he did that. I think he needs preparation, needs match wins because that gives him confidence compared to just practicing and I think winning that lead up tournament in Melbourne, huge win for him."