Rafael Nadal to face Daniil Medvedev in Australian Open final with chance to break Grand Slam record

Rafael Nadal took care of Mattero Berrettini in four sets (6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3) in the Australian Open semifinals on Friday and will have a chance at history when he faces Daniil Medvedev for the title on Sunday. Nadal -- ranked fifth in the world and seeded sixth in the tournament -- is vying for his 21st career Grand Slam singles crown, which would break the current three-way tie he shares with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

At 25 years old, Medvedev is 10 years Nadal's junior and is the second-ranked player in the world behind Djokovic. Medvedev is the reigning U.S. Open champion and Australian Open runner-up, facing off against Djokovic -- who was ineligible to play this month -- on both occasions. Nadal's last Grand Slam event championship came in 2020, when he captured the French Open.

The Spaniard last made the Australian Open men's singles championship in 2019, when he lost to Djokovic and last won the crown down under in 2009 against Federer. Nadal has gone 1-4 in five previous trips to the Australian Open finals.

Per ESPN, Friday's victory over Berrettini was Nadal's 500th career win on hard courts at tour level.

"For me, it's all about the Australian Open more than anything else," he said. "I have been a little unlucky (here) in my career with some injuries. I played some amazing finals with good chances."

Nadal and Medvedev will square off for the men's singles title at 3:30 a.m. ET on Sunday. Australia's own Ashleigh Barty will face American Danielle Collins for the women's singles crown at 3:30 a.m. ET on Saturday.