Rafael Nadal remains adamant he is not playing the numbers game as he navigates the twilight years of his career, but a record 21st grand slam title still felt "very special" to the Spaniard.
As he put it himself, what was perhaps the most unexpected major of his career was also one of the most emotional.
"That means everything for me," said Nadal, after the 35-year-old wrestled with Daniil Medvedev for five hours and 24 minutes on Rod Laver Arena, roaring back from two sets adrift to earn a 2-6 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-4 7-5 epic victory.
Nadal worried his career was over just a matter of weeks ago, he said, as he struggled to recover from the foot injury that has affected a large part of his career.
He abandoned a stop-start 2021 season in August, and missed Wimbledon, the Olympics and the US Open, leaving many to wonder if Nadal would ever be a force at the top level again.
At the age of 35, he is suddenly the man to beat again, having moved ahead of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on the list of the most successful men's singles players in grand slam history.
They both have 20, and Nadal now has 21.
Federer, who at the age of 40 is battling to return from knee trouble, hailed Nadal as "a great champion" and "an inspiration", while Djokovic saluted an "amazing achievement".
If their social media posts came through gritted teeth, both would surely appreciate the resilience of their great Spanish rival, not just in this match but across his career. In turn, Nadal says he would have no qualms finishing behind either when their final career totals are totted up.
"I don't want to change my point of view, honestly," said Nadal, who began his post-final news conference at 02:42 on Monday morning in Melbourne.
"For me it's amazing to achieve another grand slam at this moment of my career. It just means a lot to me. Of course, I know it's a special number, 21. I know what it means. It's a big significance this title."
Nadal says what matters most is the enjoyment of the big moments, rather than whether he finishes first, second or third in the private rivalry he, Federer and Djokovic have been ducking out for years.
"Today is an unforgettable day," he said. "For the last six months, I really fought a lot to try to be back on court. There have been very, very tough moments and conversations, because you don't know if I'm going to have the chance to be back on the tour.
"I feel honoured. I feel lucky to achieve one more very special thing in my tennis career. I don't care much if I am the one or not the one or the best of history, not the best of the history.
"Honestly, today I don't care much. For me, it's about enjoying nights like today. That means everything for me."
This was Nadal's second Australian Open title, a full 13 years since he beat Federer in another five-set duel.
"It is the most unexpected, without a doubt," Nadal said. "And the most surprising I think for everyone. It has been a very emotional night. Even now I am destroyed, honestly, physically."
He said he was too tried to celebrate, his body having taken a thrashing. In December, Nadal tested positive for COVID-19, adding a further complication before heading to Melbourne.
A warm-up event title put Nadal in a positive mindset heading into the Australian Open, but how the foot would hold up remained to be seen.
He said the injury is "difficult to fix, impossible really", but for now it is manageable. At one point during his recovery he said there had been "zero success" in getting to grips with the problem, saying it was "heartbreaking" at times.
"I just want to enjoy this moment," he said, back on top of the world, "and, of course, try to keep going."
Retiring Nadal deserves everything in the world for sacrifices, says Lorenzo
Rafael Nadal deserves "everything in this world" in his retirement after the sacrifices he made during his tennis career, says former Moto GP world champion Jorge Lorenzo.
Nadal officially confirmed his departure from the sport earlier this week, with his glittering 23-year spell on the court set to end after November's Davis Cup Finals in Malaga.
The Spaniard has lifted 22 major titles, a total only bettered by Margaret Court, Novak Djokovic (both 24) and Serena Williams (23) in tennis history.
An astonishing 14 of those came at the French Open, which is the most of any player at a single grand slam in history, leading him to be dubbed 'The King of Clay' at Roland-Garros.
Nadal's 112 French Open wins are the most of any man at a single major in the Open Era, while his 14-0 record in Roland-Garros finals is the best recorded by anyone at an event in that span.
Nadal is the latest of the 'Big Four' to announce their departure from the sport after Andy Murray earlier this year, along with Roger Federer in 2022, with Djokovic the only one still playing.
Lorenzo, a five-time world champion who retired from motorsport five years ago, shared his experiences since leaving the track and what the future has in store for Nadal.
"Everyone experiences [retirement] in a different way," Lorenzo told Stats Perform at Festival dello Sport in Trento, Italy.
"It has always been said that many athletes after retirement go into a kind of mini-depression and are a bit sad.
"But in my case, it has been the opposite, I have lived five fantastic years. I have really enjoyed the freedom of being able to choose how and where to use my time.
"And I hope that Rafa is very happy because he deserves everything in this world for what he has sacrificed and for the great example that he has shown as an athlete to the whole society."
Nadal's first grand slam title came at the 2005 edition of Roland-Garros, while the 2022 season saw him triumph in the French capital and at the Australian Open.
He is the only player to win at least one major in 15 different calendar years, and between 2005 and 2014, he never ended a season without a grand slam title.
Nadal finished 13 different years in the top two of the ATP World Rankings, more than any other player throughout the Open Era.
The 38-year-old will bring his storied career to a close on home soil in Malaga, where he will be part of Spain's Davis Cup team which also includes Carlos Alcaraz.
Sabalenka not focused on world rankings after Wuhan success
Aryna Sabalenka is not thinking about claiming the world number one ranking after her Wuhan Open triumph on Sunday.
Sabalenka downed home favourite and reigning Olympic champion Zheng Qinwhen, prevailing 6-3 5-7 6-3 to claim her fifth title on Chinese soil.
The Belarusian became the player with the most main draw wins at the Wuhan Open since the tournament's inception in 2014, with this victory her 17th in as many matches at the competition.
Sabalenka is also only the second player, after Serena Williams at Miami (2013 to 2015) to win a WTA 1000 tournament in three consecutive editions, but faces a stern test in toppling Iga Swiatek at the summit of the WTA rankings ahead of the end of the season.
"Really tight ranking right now," Sabalenka said. "Really nice to see. I always say, of course, it's one of my goals, but I prefer to focus on myself and just keep working hard.
"We'll see after the [WTA Finals] if I was good enough this season to become world number one."
Sabalenka (28) and Swiatek (30) are now the pair with the most WTA 1000 wins combined (58) in a single season, surpassing Williams and Maria Sharapova in 2013 (57).
But Sabalenka did not have it all her own way in Sunday's showdown with Zheng, who fought back in the second set to force a decider.
Sabalenka eventually halted Zheng's hopes of becoming just the second Chinese player to claim a WTA 1000 title after Li Na in 2012, but it was a tough test for the 26-year-old.
"First of all, I would say the conditions are probably a little bit better for her here," Sabalenka said.
"It's much slower and the ball's getting heavier. She has more things to do on the court when it's slower.
"Honestly, I felt like I just lost a little bit of focus and I let her come back in the match. I got a little bit frustrated there.
"It became a three-set match. Balls are getting heavier, in the third set, [it was] a bit emotional."
Sabalenka completes Wuhan Open hat-trick
Aryna Sabalenka overcame home favourite Zheng Qinwen 6-3 5-7 6-3 to claim a third straight crown at the Wuhan Open.
US Open champion Sabalenka has an immaculate record at the WTA 1000 event, where she extended her dominance on Sunday.
The showdown was a rematch of this year's Australian Open final, in which Sabalenka also came out on top.
She is now unbeaten in four matches against Zheng, this year's Olympic champion.
Having required just 38 minutes to take the first set, Sabalenka was pegged back in the second, eventually succumbing after saving four break points.
Yet the Belarusian regained the impetus in the decider, swiftly taking a double-break lead and hardly looking back from there.
Data Debrief: Queen of Wuhan does the three-peat
What a year it has been for Sabalenka, and after previously winning in Wuhan in 2018 and 2019, the world number two completed a hat-trick of trophies in style. She has played 17 times at the tournament and is yet to lose a match.
Sabalenka, who has won four trophies this year, is the second player, after Serena Williams at Miami (2013 to 2015), to win a WTA 1000 event in three consecutive editions of the tournament.
China is something of a home away from home for the 26-year-old, too. She is now the player to have won the most WTA-level titles on Chinese soil in the Open Era (five).
Meanwhile, Sabalenka and world number one Iga Swiatek are the pair with the most combined wins at WTA 1000 events (58) in a single season, surpassing Williams and Maria Sharapova in 2013 (57).
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
