Watch: Rafael Nadal's outrageous drive volley at the 2022 Australian Open
Rafael Nadal returned to the courts at Melbourne Park and slipped right back into the habit of hitting outrageous shots from tight angles. His latest was an oustanding drive volley, which he produced in his first-round match against World No. 66 Marcos Giron.
The World No. 6 needed only an hour and 49 minutes to dispose of Giron 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 and progress to the second round, hitting 34 winners along the way. One of the shots of the match came in the third set during the American's opening service game.
After running from one end of the baseline to the other, the former World No. 1 raced towards the net to return an attempted drop shot from Giron. The resulting passing shot was returned by the World No. 66, prompting Nadal to pull off an incredible one-handed overhead drive volley to seal the point.
Rare stuff: a drive volley from Rafa.
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This was not the only moment of magic Nadal produced in his first-round match. Early in the first set, the 35-year-old turned back the clock to showcase his incredible agility. The former World No. 1 was on a diagonal path from deep behind the baseline when Giron placed a drop away from him.
Nadal responded by immediately changing his trajectory and pulling off an impossible backhand dig, much to the delight of his fans and the dismay of the American. The video was shared by the official Twitter handle of the Australian Open as a testament to the Spaniard's perseverance.
"We can always rely on @RafaelNadal for some inspiration," the video was captioned on Twitter.
We can always rely on @RafaelNadal for some inspiration ✨
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Today's first-round victory marked Rafael Nadal's 70th win at the Australian Open
In addition to a spot in the second round of the Australian Open, Rafael Nadal's win earlier today saw him reach another milestone - his 70th victory at the Melbourne Slam.
The win moves the 20-time Grand Slam champion one closer to Roger Federer's record of 102 wins at the tournament. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is ahead of Nadal in second place, with 82 wins to his name at Melbourne Park.
Another jaw-dropping milestone for @RafaelNadal 👏
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In terms of most matches won at a single Grand Slam, Rafael Nadal leads with 105 victories at Roland Garros. Federer is tied with him for first place, winning 105 matches at Wimbledon.
Fourth on the list is the American legend Jimmy Connors, who won 98 matches at the US Open during his illustrious career. Among active players, the Big 3 occupy the top 11 spots on the list before being interrupted by Andy Murray, who has 59 wins at Wimbledon.