Rafael Nadal breaks down after "emotional" US Open win
Rafael Nadal has claimed his 19th Grand Slam championship and was overcome with emotion after realising what he has achieved.
The 33-year-old was playing in his 27th major final but 23-year-old Medvedev fought him every step of the way.
The match went for a shocking five hours, but eventually Nadal was able to nab the victory.
The emotion of the occasion was too much for the tennis legend to bear as a highlight reel of his slam wins played inside the stadium after he claimed match point. Tears rolled down his face as Nadal gracefully thanked the crowd.
“It has to be one of the most emotional nights of my tennis career,” Nadal said. “This victory means a lot and especially with the way the match became so difficult, so tough ... it has been a crazy match, no? I’m just emotional.”
Witnessing history, from 1 to 19....@RafaelNadal | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/33kDYn4kwf
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) 9 September 2019
It was a tough match for Nadal after the crowd booed him in the fifth set after the New York crowd thought that the star was wasting time as he went to get a new racquet while Medvedev was serving.
However, he didn’t flinch and went on to take the victory.
It’s clear that Nadal had his eye on the prize, as his other opponents from this past fortnight have struggled to find the words to describe Nadal’s technique.
Diego Schwartzman suggested Nadal was “like a lion in the middle of the jungle” while Matteo Berrettini called him “the greatest fighter ever in this sport.”
“It’s tough to find words,” added Medvedev. “He’s one of the greatest champions in the history of our sport. He’s just a machine, a beast on the court.”