"To me this is the best comeback in the Open Era" - Mats Wilander on Rafael Nadal's  Australian Open 2022 title 

Former World No. 1 Mats Wilander recently spoke about Rafael Nadal's record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title. The Swede expressed amazement at the 35-year-old winning the 2022 Australian Open against all odds, terming the feat as "indescribable".

Nadal produced a sensational comeback during the championship match in Melbourne, coming from two-sets-to-love down to defeat Daniil Medvedev in an encounter that lasted more than five hours.

With his victory, the Spaniard not only won his first Australian Open title since 2009, but he also became only the second player after Novak Djokovic in the Open Era to complete an elusive Double Career Grand Slam.

Against that background, Wilander claimed that he had no idea how Nadal managed to defeat Medvedev, who who had recently won the US Open and was one of the favorites in Melbourne. The seven-time Major winner showered rich praise on the Spaniard's game during Sunday's final.

“To me this is the best comeback in the Open era,” Wilander told Eurosport. “Winning the 21st Grand Slam title, 35 years old, being 36 when the French Open comes around and he beats the best player in the world in Daniil Medvedev you would have to call him after winning the US Open. It is indescribable and I do not know where he finds that strength.”

“It’s just incredible. He is two sets down and you are playing Medvedev, you are not playing Matteo Berrettini – by that, I mean someone who doesn’t play long rallies. This is physical. Somehow he figured out how to get free points on the serve, free points on the forehand,” the former World No. 1 said.

Tim Henman says he can't wrap his head around Rafael Nadal's Australian Open triumph

Nadal with his Australian Open trophy

Tim Henman also joined his colleague in praising Nadal's achievement, which came about four months after the Spaniard was forced to call off his 2021 season due to a serious foot injury. The former pro also alluded to how the 21-time Major winner had tested COVID-19 positive before flying into Melbourne.

“I can’t quite get my head around it given the last six months for Rafa having not played much coming into this event and all the circumstances he faced prior to the tournament. The resilience, he was down two sets to love, I thought he was cooked and he finds a way to keep on fighting and coming back," the Brit said.

Henman added that most of the analysts at Eurosport were of the opinion that Medvedev would be in charge of the proceedings during the summit clash since he is the younger player of the two. He then praised Nadal for not getting ahead of himself and staying in the moment, which eventually allowed the Spaniard to clinch his 21st Grand Slam title.

"We thought the younger guy and the longer match was going to play into Medvedev’s hands, it was just incredible to see. Rafa is able to stay in the moment. There is no point thinking about the final when you are in the second round, you’ve got to take it step-by-step. In the second set, Nadal had so many opportunities and he didn’t win it so you are thinking he’s down two sets to love and there is just no way back," Henman said.

"I think part of his mindset is that he doesn't think of the fifth set when he's in the third set. He started to build those bridges, he started to get more energy as the match went on. With the crowd support, they were just driving him to the finish line," the Brit added.