The Spanish second seed led by two sets and a break, but he needed to halt a thrilling comeback from Russian rebel Medvedev to win an epic showdown 7-5 6-3 5-7 4-6 6-4.
Hot-headed Medvedev was playing in his first grand slam final,
Yet when he launched an unlikely counter-attack in the third set it was like Rocky in reverse, the fans around a packed Arthur Ashe suddenly chanting his name.
However, Nadal dug as deep as he has probably ever had to to secure a dramatic victory in four hours and 50 minutes to move to within one major title of Roger Federer’s record tally of 20.
Nadal, whose hackles were raised when he was given a time violation at break point down in the very first game, took the opening set with a break at 6-5 thanks to a whipped forehand winner and a lob which Medvedev dumped into the net.
The Russian saved four break points in his next two service games but the jabs kept on landing, Nadal breaking through again for 4-2 and taking a two-set lead.
Fatigue seemed to be setting in for Medvedev, who was being pushed all around the court, and when a backhand hit the net at break point in the fifth game of the third set he looked beaten.
But he kept swinging, somehow breaking back to level, and with the crowd now firmly behind their new darling, he repeated the dose at 6-5 to take it to a fourth set with Nadal now the man looking vulnerable.
Gutsy hold after gutsy hold followed until Nadal sent a forehand wide and Medvedev had a break point, which he dispatched with a stunning return to force a decider.
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