Rafael Nadal’s force of will takes him to verge of remarkable 21st grand slam | Tumaini Carayol

Spaniard has overcome many setbacks to reach Australian Open final where Daniil Medvedev stands in the way of history

Two long, dramatic weeks ago, just before the Australian Open was due to begin, Rafael Nadal sat down to set the scene for the fortnight ahead. The shadow of Novak Djokovic’s deportation saga looming large over the tournament, Nadal forcefully answered questions onabout his rival. He discussed his recent injuries and his health. He stressed the necessity of taking his return step by step.

At no point was he asked about, or did he mention, the prospect of winning his 21st grand slam title. It was always clear that by virtue of entering the draw, this is what he was competing for, but at a time when he did not know how his body and game would handle his first-round match against Marcos Giron, the world No 66, it was a completely irrelevant subject. “I only played three matches in the last six months. It’s obvious that [nothing is] clear, no?”