Rafael Nadal won a record 21st Grand Slam men’s title after beating Russian Daniil Medvedev in a thrilling Australian Open final at Melbourne Park earlier today.

Medvedev came into the tournament as the US Open champion, aiming to win his second successive major title, and it was looking as though he would do so at one point, but for his opponent’s incredible relentlessness.

Nadal came back to beat Medvedev 2-6, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5, with the contest lasting five hours 24 minutes, sealing victory at 01:11 in Melbourne, making it the second-longest Grand Slam final in history and just 30 minutes short of the 2012 Australian Open final when Nadal was beaten by Novak Djokovic.

The 35-year-old got his hands on the trophy after Medvedev failed to return a back-handed effort, received by an almighty cheer across Rod Laver Arena.

The win means the Spaniard has now won two Australian Open’s, moving above Roger Federer and Djokovic in terms of most major men’s singles titles.

Both athletes didn’t compete Down Under, with Federer missing out with an injury and Djokovic being famously deported back to his home nation Serbia earlier on in the year due to being unvaccinated.

Nadal’s triumph at the Australian Open comes months after the King of Clay thought he may never return to the tennis court due to a foot injury. The injury meant he has only featured in one tournament in the past seven months.

Nadal’s latest victory was just his second competitive event in five months.

After the trophy presentation, Nadal said: “Without a doubt it is one of the most emotional wins of my career,” after going through such difficult periods over the past year.

On the other hand, Medvedev joked: “I’m sure my wife is watching back home, but I think the TV will be broken now.”