Rafael Nadal ties Roger Federer's all-time record of 21 ATP 500 final appearances

Reigning Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal defeated Daniil Medvedev, the newly crowned World No. 1 in the ATP rankings next week, in convincing fashion during their semifinal clash in Acapulco earlier on Friday. With the victory, the Spaniard reached the final of an ATP 500 tournament for a whopping 21st time in his career - tying Roger Federer's record for most final appearances in the category.

Ever since the format was introduced in 2009, the 35-year-old Spaniard has made the summit clash in eight different tournaments - Rio (1), Rotterdam (1), Acapulco (4), Barcelona (8), Hamburg (1), Tokyo (2), Beijing (3) and Basel (1). Federer, for his part, has monopolized the 500-level tournaments despite entering his post-prime career, reaching the finals in Rotterdam (2), Dubai (5), Halle (4) and Basel (10).

Novak Djokovic and David Ferrer are joint-third on the list of most ATP 500 finals, both of them accumulating 16 finals each in the category. Below is the full list of players who have reached 10 ATP 500 finals or more:

Roger Federer - 21

Rafael Nadal - 21

David Ferrer - 16

Novak Djokovic - 16

Kei Nishikori - 12

Andy Murray - 10

Juan Martín del Potro - 10

Only Federer and Djokovic have made more ATP 500 finals on hardcourt than Rafael Nadal

It is pertinent to note, however, that the Matador only made his tenth-ever hardcourt final in the ATP 500 format at this year's Mexican Open. The Spaniard has enjoyed relatively less success on the surface in 500-level events, but still comes in at third on the list of most hardcourt finals appearances in the category.

Federer and Nadal pose before the 2015 Swiss Indoors Basel final

Federer leads the pack when it comes to hardcourt finals in ATP 500 tournaments, recording 17 such appearances. Federer, who turned pro in 1998, began playing on the main circuit at a time when the 500-level category didn't exist.

The tour instead employed "ATP International Gold" series tournaments back then; if those past events are included in the Swiss' tally of ATP 500 finals, then he would stand head and shoulders above every player at a whopping 31 finals.

Djokovic, meanwhile, has accumulated 15 final appearances at 500-level tournaments on hardcourt, reaching the championship match in Rotterdam (1), Dubai (5), Tokyo (1), Beijing (6) and Basel (2).

Below is the full list of players who have reached 10 ATP 500 finals or more on hardcourts:

Roger Federer - 17

Novak Djokovic - 15

Rafael Nadal - 10

Juan Martin Del Potro - 10

Kei Nishikori - 9

Andy Murray - 8

David Ferrer - 7