From nerve-wracking match tiebreaks to dramatic match points saved, from rising stars cementing their potential to tour veterans fighting to scale new heights … AO 2022 was truly chock-full of highlights.
With our champions now crowned, here are seven matches that enthralled at a memorable Australian Open.
Rafael Nadal [6] def. Daniil Medvedev [2]
Men's singles final: Nadal 2-6 6-7(5) 6-4 6-4 7-5
It's always magnificent when a memorable Grand Slam tournament concludes with its most unforgettable match. And that was the case for Australian Open 2022, when Nadal went as deep as he has ever gone within himself to stage the most improbable of comebacks in the final.
Resoundingly outplayed in the opening set by reigning US Open champion Medvedev, Nadal looked certain to level the match when he built second-set leads of 4-1 and 5-3 – and 5-3 in the subsequent tiebreak. But when he failed to capitalise on any of those advantages, and Medvedev celebrated a two-set lead after slotting a backhand passing shot winner, this final looked as good as over.
Medvedev even held three break points for a 4-2 lead in the third set, but he was unable to convert any of them, and the momentum shifted. Nadal rose in intensity and firepower and eliminated errors, while Medvedev lost sting in his shots and faded physically. Nadal snatched set three, took the fourth as well, and went up an early break in the fifth, to both the delight and disbelief of the Rod Laver Arena crowd.
Super seven: The best matches from AO 2022 | AO - Australian Open
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