Ejercicio Opció B - 2 · Inglés PAU Baleares Ordinaria 2022

OPCIÓ B

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions in English. USE YOUR OWN WORDS AS FAR AS POSSIBLE.

'A final of Herculean proportions' - reaction to Rafael Nadal's epic Australian Open triumph

"It was a final of Herculean proportions". The great Rod Laver, former professional Australian tennis player, spoke for us all after Rafael Nadal came from two sets down to win the Australian Open final, beating world number two Daniil Medvedev, to claim a record 21st Grand Slam title. It came after an exhausting five hours and 24 minutes of nerve-shredding action, which made it the second-longest major final in history.

Few could believe what they were witnessing as the 35-year-old Spaniard managed to deliver one of the greatest performances of his career to stay ahead of long-time rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the race for supremacy. It was an even more stunning achievement given Nadal feared his career could be over as he struggled to overcome a foot problem last year. "It is a goal that seemed utterly ridiculous in December when he didn't know whether his foot would be strong enough to be able to play at this Australian Open - or even to continue his career", BBC tennis correspondent, Russell Fuller, said on BBC Radio 5 Live. "And then Covid struck him hard before Christmas. In terms of what Nadal has overcome to win this 21st title, this is the best. It is surely the greatest triumph of his sporting career. History has been written in Melbourne", he added.

There was no shortage of praise for Nadal following his achievement, though perhaps the messages from Federer and Djokovic are those that will mean the most. In a message on Instagram, Swiss great Federer said: "What a match. To my friend and great rival Rafael Nadal, heartfelt congratulations on becoming the first man to win 21 Grand Slam singles titles. Your incredible work ethic, dedication and fighting spirit are an inspiration to me and countless others around the world. I am proud to share this era with you and honoured to play a role in pushing you to achieve more - as you have done for me for the past 18 years". Likewise, the Serb Djokovic tweeted: "Congratulations to Rafael Nadal for his 21st Grand Slam. Amazing achievement. Always impressive fighting spirit that prevailed another time".

British player, Laura Robson, summed it all up on BBC Radio 5 Live. "I can't remember a more fun match to commentate on", said the former British number one. On Nadal's win, she added: "I think this one tops it all. There were no expectations. I don't think anyone expected him to make the semi-final, let alone the final, never mind winning it. It is what I consider his best achievement and one that surprised us all. It's a privilege to watch something like that".

After the Australian Open final, Nadal said: "I know the big significance of this title. I feel lucky to achieve one more very special thing in my tennis career. But I don't care much if I am the best in history, one of the best in history, or not the best in history. Honestly, I don't care much", he added.

Adapted from BBC News, January 2022

2. In your own words and based on the ideas from the text, answer the following question. NO marks are given for personal opinions or responses copied directly from the text. (1 point)

Why did not many people expect Nadal to win the Australian Open final?