
Rafael Nadal reacts after winning against Daniil Medvedev during their men's singles final match at the Australian Open. Photo: William West/AFP via Getty
Spain's Rafael Nadal beat Daniil Medvedev late Sunday to win the 2022 Australian Open men's singles.
Why it matters: Nadal, 35, claims his 21st Grand Slam title, breaking a three-way record for most titles that he held with Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Switzerland's Roger Federer.
- The win was also Nadal's second Australian Open title.
The big picture: Djokovic was unable to compete in this year's Australian Open over his refusal to receive a coronavirus vaccine, while Federer has yet to return to the court since having knee surgery in August 2021.
Go deeper: The Djokovic debacle