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“GOAT”: Roddick, Wawrinka, Gasol, Casillas, Kroos, and Entire Sporting Fraternity Goes Beserk as Rafael Nadal Wins 21st Grand Slam

ByRishma Banerjee

Jan 30, 2022 | 12:31 PM EST

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via Reuters

via Reuters

Rafael Nadal just made history by becoming the first man to win 21 Grand Slams. He defeated world No. 2, Daniil Medvedev, to cement his place in the history books. He won the extremely well-fought match 2-6, 6(5)-7, 6-4,6-4,7-5.

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Twitter reacts to Rafael Nadal’s record

Former world No. 3 Stan Wawrinka who clearly had been following the match closely, said “I love tennis.” He also tweeted about how intense the final has been! Friend and practice partner Diego Schwartzman was also quick to post.

Several other members of the ATP Tour poured in with their admiration for the 21-time Grand Slam winning champion on Twitter, applauding this impossible feat. David Ferrer, from Spain, has not only been Nadal’s teammate for the Davis cup, but he is also a close friend of the 21-time Grand Slam champion. He tweeted his thoughts too.

“RAFA NADAL is officially GOAT.” This is a sentence no one in the world is going to disagree with.

Several WTA stars also took to Twitter to congratulate Rafael Nadal on this record. Former world No. 1 Simona Halep, fellow Spaniard, Garbine Muguruza, semifinalist Madison Keys, and Alize Cornet to name only some.

 

Retired greats like Kim Clijsters, Andy Roddick, Chris Evert, and Rod Laver also tweeted congratulating Rafa. They also mentioned how great Medvedev had been in the match. Clijsters mentioned a different perspective by calling Marc Lopez, Rafa’s long-time partner and the newest addition to his coaching team, as the luck charm.

 

Congratulatory messages were not limited to the tennis world. Many sports icons, as well as organizations and teams from all across the gamut of sports and the world, showed their appreciation for the Spanish bull.

 

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Rafael Nadal creates history

In a grueling 5 set match, it was the Spaniard who emerged as the victor. He did not start with the greatest momentum, and Medvedev capitalized on that by capturing the first two sets.

But Nadal, always known for his grit, persevered to win back the next two sets, pushing the match to the decider. Both the players showcased their skills, and it was a very close match throughout the five hours and 28 minutes slogger. As the packed Rod Laver Arena stood witness to greatness, Rafael Nadal, in his 35-year-old glory, fought his way to yet another milestone in his journey.

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via Reuters

Rafael Nadal had been preempting in his press conferences about how his performance here at the Australian Open was all a bonus, given the condition he had been in just a few months back. But Nadal, the king of comebacks, has proved yet again why he is the legend that he is.

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