Nadal produces the greatest come back in tennis memory

Medvedev was a formidable opponent. Nadal’s game is based on the heavy top spin ball into the opponents backhand. Medvedev is tall enough to negate that, just as Soderling did against Nadal years ago and turn it into a dangerous ball down the line. Even in the fifth set he was hurting Nadal with that shot.

And Medvedev has a great serve which he can produce under pressure. Mentally as well he is composed and works the points. But it has to be tough when your best shots are greeted with silence and any point the opponent wins is greeted with roars.

Nadal started as if his legs weren’t there pushing his shots. He improved in the second set but when he lost that after serving for the set,  the computer was giving Nadal a 5% chance of winning.

How he turned it round will be a lasting memory….brilliant drop shots, brilliant dinks off Medvedev’s short balls and a few trademark forehands down the line. And that break in the fifth after he had dropped his lead….pure guts. Like Franz Klammer winning the downhill at the Olympics…epic.

Medvedev gave his usual humorous and gracious speech…well done to him in what must have been a tough loss. Nadal was a gentleman.

So it was a showcase for the Big Three and it’s now biggest winner. I loved the whole match, if the rest of 2022 sports is like this, it will be a great year. And if this is the high point we won’t be under served.

I can’t wait for the Chariots of Fire version of the Big Three….there is a great movie in the making.

My wife watched the game and was amazed at the reaction from the spectators when ever a point was won by the player other than Nadal.

Sure he is a great player but did the crowd turn on Medvedev because of politics or what?????????

If she watched the ladies final, she would have seen the same thing. Silence for a good shot by Collins….and wild applause for a double fault. Australia has shown it stripes in this Open. Small, woke people.

Medvedev made the crucial error of saying nice things about Djokovic and he’s a Russian. He will never get a fair shake from the convicts, even if wins 25 Majors.

Sad but unfortunately true.

Nope it had nothing to do with him asking the umpire to control crowd noise…a legitimate request. They did exactly the same thing to Collins the day before when she was playing Barty. One of the most partisan tennis crowd ever at a Major. At times it seemed more like the Davis Cup.