Australian Open CHAMPION Rafael Nadal greatest ever sporting icon- Spanish Legend Rafael Nadal on Sunday achieved the I M POSSIBLE. He reached the pinnacle of Grand Slams title in his field- men’s tennis. No player except Nadal has won record 21 Grand Slams. Now, he is the best in his field and surpassed even the greats Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi (Football), Tiger Woods (Golf) & Lewis Hamilton (Formula 1) who have failed to achieve it all when it comes to reaching the top of the game. Follow Australian Open 2022 updates on InsideSport.IN
Australian Open CHAMPION Rafael Nadal greatest ever sporting icon- NOT Ronaldo, Messi, Tiger Woods or Hamilton- check why?
While Tiger Woods came short of eclipsing Jack Nicklaus’s tally of 18 golf majors, Lewis Hamilton was one lap away from superseding Michael Schumacher for the record 8th World Championship title. Meanwhile, Pele has set goal records that so far modern football giants Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are yet to breach the special record.
List of Total Major Wins-
| Rank | Name | Masters | US Open | British Open | PGA | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicklaus, Jack | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 18 |
| 2 | Woods, Tiger | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 14 |
Most F1 Drivers’ World Championship Titles
| Driver | No. of Titles | Season |
| Michael Schumacher | 7 | 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 |
| Lewis Hamilton | 7 | 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018,2019,2020 |
Most Goals (Senior career)
Pele– 655
| Senior career* | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1956–1974 | Santos | 636 | (618) |
| 1975–1977 | New York Cosmos | 64 | (37) |
| Total | 700 | (655) | |
Ronaldo– 487 goals
| Senior career* | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2003 | Sporting CP B | 2 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | Sporting CP | 25 | (3) |
| 2003–2009 | Manchester United | 196 | (84) |
| 2009–2018 | Real Madrid | 292 | (311) |
| 2018–2021 | Juventus | 98 | (81) |
| 2021– | Manchester United | 18 | (8) |
Messi– 486 goals
| Senior career* | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2004 | Barcelona C | 10 | (5) |
| 2004–2005 | Barcelona B | 22 | (6) |
| 2005–2021 | Barcelona | 520 | (474) |
| 2021– | Paris Saint-Germain | 12 | (1) |
Nadal defeated Daniil Medvedev in the men’s final of the Australian Open to go past the record of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic (both with 20 Grand Slams). As a result, the 35-year-old also clinched his second Australian Open title.
Under the lights on Rod Laver Arena, the legendary Spaniard looked down and out against Daniil Medvedev. However, the sixth seed demonstrated his trademark big-match mentality, overcoming the Russian 2-6, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in front of a raucous crowd in a Melbourne classic. With his dramatic victory, Nadal has claimed sole ownership of the record for the most men’s singles Grand Slam titles, moving past Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic who are both on 20 major crowns.
Australian Open CHAMPION Rafael Nadal greatest ever sporting icon- NOT Ronaldo, Messi, Tiger Woods or Hamilton- check why?
The 35-year-old, who also clinched the trophy in Melbourne in 2009, has become just the second player in the Open Era alongside Djokovic to win each of the four majors at least twice.
In a high-quality and physical match that ebbed and flowed, a pumped-up Nadal showcased his fighting spirit to put water on a red-hot Medvedev performance. With his back firmly against the wall after the second set, Nadal’s champion mindset shone through as he began to hit through Medvedev with more success in a brutal, heavy-hitting performance to turn the tables.
Australian Open CHAMPION Rafael Nadal greatest ever sporting icon- NOT Ronaldo, Messi, Tiger Woods or Hamilton- check why?
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