The sporting weekend in pictures

All eyes were Down Under where Rafael Nadal and Ashleigh Barty made history.

Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning a 21st grand slam title (Hamish Blair/AP/PA) (AP)

Rafael Nadal produced a sensational performance to fight back from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final and claim a 21st grand slam title.

Also at Melbourne Park, Ashleigh Barty followed in the footsteps of idol Evonne Goolagong Cawley and despite no Premier League football, there was drama aplenty at the African Cup of Nations and closer to home.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the best pictures from the sporting weekend.

Rafael Nadal celebrates after beating Daniil Medvedev to win the Australian Open (Simon Baker/AP/PA) (AP)

Daniil Medvedev had been two sets up but lost out in a five hour and 24 minute epic at Rod Laver Arena (Simon Baker/AP/PA) (AP)

Rafael Nadal celebrates with his father Sebastian having been contemplating retirement months earlier (Hamish Blair/AP/PA) (AP)

This was grand slam number 21 for Rafael Nadal, moving him beyond rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic (Andy Brownbill/AP/PA) (AP)

A day earlier, Ashleigh Barty, pictured with her idol Evonne Goolagong Cawley, became the first home winner of the Australian Open since 1978 (Simon Baker/AP/PA) (AP)

Danielle Collins pushed Ashleigh Barty hard in the final but the Australian failed to drop a single set at the tournament (Andy Brownbill/AP/PA) (AP)

Mohamed Salah inspired Egypt to a 2-1 win over Morocco in the African Cup of Nations quarter-finals (Themba Hadebe/AP/PA) (AP)

Senegal players celebrate during their 3-1 victory over Equatorial Guinea, which secured a semi-final spot at the African Cup of Nations (Themba Hadebe/PA) (AP)

Ross County snatched a dramatic point off Rangers after Matthew Wright’s stoppage-time equaliser (Malcolm Mackenzie/PA) (PA Wire)

Before Celtic’s own dramatic victory, current boss Ange Postecoglou and captain Callum McGregor paid tribute to the late Wim Jansen before their 1-0 victory over Dundee United (Steve Welsh/PA) (PA Wire)

Cincinnati kicker Evan McPherson kicks a 31-yard field goal to send the Bengals to their first Super Bowl since the 1988 season (Charlie Riedel/AP) (AP)

Georgia Stanway celebrates after becoming Manchester City Women’s record goalscorer following a hat-trick in their 8-0 FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest (Scott Wilson/PA) (PA Wire)

Karna Solskjaer, daughter of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, made her Manchester United Women’s debut during their FA Cup success over Bridgwater (Adam Davy/PA) (PA Wire)

New Hull City owner Acun Ilicali watched their 2-0 win over Swansea (Ian Hodgson/PA) (PA Wire)

Krystian Bielik marked his first appearance in exactly a year with a stoppage-time equaliser for Derby at home to Birmingham (Tim Goode/PA) (PA Wire)

Leicester Riders were crowned winners of the British Basketball League Cup after a 83-69 win over Manchester Giants (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)