Spanish player Rafael Nadal topped the social media platforms, after reaching the Australian Open final on Friday, with a 3-1 victory over Italian Matteo Berrettini, becoming one victory away from setting a world record.
With his victory in Friday’s match, Nadal reaches the Australian Open final for the sixth time in his history, and reaches the 29th Grand Slam final in tennis.
Nadal became one victory away from a historic achievement and a 21st Grand Slam title when he defeated Italian opponent Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 on Friday to advance to the final.
Nadal will meet in the final next Sunday with Russian world number two Daniel Medvedev, who beat Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the other semi-final on Friday.
And if Nadal succeeds in winning the title match, he will be unique in the world record for the number of titles in major slams, which he currently shares with Serbian Novak Djokovic, the world number one, and Swiss Roger Federer, which is 20 titles for each.
✨ Good night! This is ours #PortadAS Today, Wednesday, January 26
📰 Nadal is a miracle pic.twitter.com/5rXR46halE– Diario AS (@diarioas) January 25, 2022
A big celebration of Nadal
The Spanish press celebrated Nadal’s victory and reaching the Australian Open final, which he last won in 2009 against Roger Federer.
🎾🤟 ¡¡@RafaelNadal end the Berrettini rebellion!!
🙌 Return to a ‘Grand Slam’ final 474 days later
👉 The Chronicle by @dimedemihttps://t.co/adWkux4D0W
— BRAND (@brand) January 28, 2022
“Nadal ends Berrettini’s rebellion and returns to the final of a Grand Slam tournament after 474 days,” newspaper “Marca” headlined its report on the match, while “AS” newspaper described the Spanish tennis star as a “miracle”.
In the same context, the Spanish club Cadiz congratulated “El Matador” on reaching the final, saying in a tweet on his official account on Twitter, “Proud of you, Rafael.”
500th win on hard court.
6th #AusOpen Final.
29th Grand Slam Final.@RafaelNadal still got it 💪🇪🇸🎥: @AustralianOpen | #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/KbWGzq2XeH
— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 28, 2022
In turn, the World Tennis Professionals Association also celebrated Nadal’s 500th victory on hard courts, and his access to the sixth final at the Australian Open, noting that he could get it.
Nothing stops Nadal in Australia.. to the final 29 in his history in the Grand Slam 🎾 🎾 pic.twitter.com/IOZ25Mhp9R
— Mohamed Awad (@mohammedawaad) January 28, 2022
Sports journalist Mohamed Awad wrote, “Nothing stops Nadal in Australia… to the final 29 in his history in the Grand Slam.”
To the final…so proud of you Rafael 🤩💪👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
#nadal #Australian Open Championship
– Kadiz Football Club 🇪🇸 (@Cadiz_CFArab) January 28, 2022
Rafa Nadal is going to play his final number SIX of the Australian Open 🇦🇺🚀.
He is going for his 2nd title in this Open. The only time he did it was in 2009, against Roger Federer. If he wins it, he will be the top Grand Slam winner. [21] in tennis history 🎾🤯. What a man. pic.twitter.com/1edlwkZUY2
— Teo Coquet (@TeoCoquet) January 28, 2022