The answer is simple - having the opportunity to ask them about it, in person - the very next day.

Bendigo South Tennis Club member and ANZ Tennis Hot Shots player Isaiah Mbani was lucky enough to live out this exact dream, when he met and interviewed Rafael Nadal on Monday.

"It was all very exciting," Isaiah said.

His rendezvous came after a media representative from Tennis Australia approached him and asked if he wanted to meet Nadal. The answer, of course, was a no-brainer.

During the meet Isaiah was given the opportunity to be a journalist for the day and ask the 2022 Australian Open men's singles champion questions on camera.

The first question Isaiah asked his role model was simple, who was his tennis hero?

And the answer was one close to Nadal's heart, his friend and coach Carlos Moya.

Isaiah left with a big smile on his face after receiving a giant tennis ball signed by Nadal himself.

"It all felt like a dream," Isaiah said.

Isaiah is an avid tennis player, but after his journalistic experience is now equally as keen to work within the media as a tennis commentator.

"Maybe I could be one of those players who competes at tennis but then become a commentator after they've finished playing," Isaiah said.

RELATED: Amazing Nadal hails his greatest comeback

The morning would also have been surreal for Nadal who the night before recovered from two sets to love down for the first time in 15 years to defeat second seed Daniil Medvedev 2-6 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-4 7-5 in a drama-charged climax to the Open at Melbourne Park.

The landmark victory in a five-hour, 24-minute war of attrition that finished past midnight on Monday morning vaulted the Spaniard one slam clear of great rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic on the all-time major titles leaderboard.

"If we put everything together - the scenario, the momentum, what it means, yeah, without a doubt (it's) probably the biggest comeback of my tennis career," said an overjoyed but exhausted Nadal.

The sapping encounter was the second-longest final in Open history, behind only Nadal's five-hour, 53-minute loss to Djokovic in 2012 and left the 35-year-old admitting he was feeling "destroyed, physically".

In raising the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup for a second time, 13 years after his first triumph, Nadal also joins Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Djokovic as only the fourth man in tennis history to win each of the four grand slam titles at least twice.

"Without a doubt, it's one of the most emotional moments in my tennis career," Nadal said.

"The most unexpected, without a doubt, and most surprising I think for everyone."

Isaiah is one of three Bendigo region tennis juniors who had their brush with the world's best at the 2022 Australian Open.

Willow Kelly was selected to flip the ANZ Commemorative Coin at the round four match between Ash Barty and Amanda Anisimova.

In addition, James Rykers tossed the coin ahead of the round two clash between Kamil Majchrzak and Alex de Minaur.

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On the back of one of the country's most successful and iconic Opens - which includes Ash Barty's maiden women's singles title, Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis men's double's title and Dylan Alcott reaching the quad wheelchair final - Tennis Australia is celebrating with 10,000 hours of free court hire across the nation.

The special initiative marks Tennis Australia's goal to connect the success of the Australian Open grand slam with the grassroots of the sport.

Latest AusPlay data* reports that 1,529,000 Australians, including 1,227,800 adults and 301,200 children, are already hitting courts and the free hire offer encourages more people to play more tennis more often.

The free hour of court hire is available to all Australians with one booking per person with a booking fee cap of $20.

Head to play.tennis.com.au/court-hire to redeem.

Enter code FREECOURT at checkout.

Valid until Monday Feb 28.

with AAP

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