FEDERER SNAGS GRAND SLAM TITLE NO. 18 AFTER WINNING AUSTRALIAN OPEN FIVE-SETTER AGAINST NADAL

Written by: Staff on 30th January 2017

FEDERER SNAGS GRAND SLAM TITLE NO. 18 AFTER WINNING AUSTRALIAN OPEN FIVE-SETTER AGAINST NADAL

epa05759098 Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates with the trophy after winning the Men's Singles final match against Rafael Nadal of Spain at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 29 January 2017. EPA/MADE NAGI |

By Ricky Dimon

It was a fitting end to an unforgettable Australian Open.

It was so good, in fact, that the champion said during the trophy ceremony that he would have been happy if it had ended in a draw–or even a loss.

But without any exceptions, tennis matches and tennis tournaments–heck, sports in general– can only end well for one player, and that one player on a dreamy Sunday in Melbourne was Roger Federer. Federer’s third five-set win of the fortnight gave him Grand Slam title No. 18 and Aussie Open title No. 5, which he clinched by getting the best of long-time rival Rafael Nadal 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 after three hours and 37 minutes.

Although the fifth turned out to be a nerve-wracking thriller that was nowhere close to being decided until the final shot was shown to be in, no set was particularly competitive in terms of the scoreline. Federer had the upper hand in the first, breaking for 4-3 and holding his next two service games with the loss of just a single point. Nadal responded in the second, taking a 4-0 advantage before mostly cruising from there despite giving one of the breaks back. The two legendary veterans took turns wresting control in the third and fourth, as well, with Federer once again inching ahead only to see Nadal answer in emphatic style.

That set the stage of a memorable decider, which lasted only nine games but packed an emotionally draining punch in a short amount of time.

Nadal struck the first blow, but it was not enough to knock out Federer. After surrendering his first service game to fall behind 1-0 and then 2-0, the 35-year-old eventually broke back to get on even terms at 3-3. That ignited a streak of five straight games for Federer after he trailed 3-1. His second break of the set came in an amazing game on Nadal’s serve at 3-4, which ended when Federer forced his opponent into an error with a perfect cross-court forehand return.

Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Roger Federer of Switzerland during their Men’s Singles final match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 29 January 2017. EPA/MARK R. CRISTINO

Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against Rafael Nadal of Spain during their Men’s Singles final match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 29 January 2017. EPA/MARK R. CRISTINO

The Swiss served thing out in clutch fashion one game later, but not before fighting back from a 15-40 hole. He eventually capitalized on his second championship point with a forehand winner off the sideline that Nadal unsuccessfully challenged.

“I kept on fighting,” Federer commented. “I kept on believing–like I did all match long today–that there was a possibility I could win this match. I think that’s what made me play my best tennis at the very end.”

“I think [it was] a great match,” Nadal added. “I enjoyed to be part of it. I fought to try to have the trophy with me. I had some chances in the fifth with (a) break up. But (it) is true that after I had the break, he played very aggressive, hitting a lot of great shots. So (it) was tough to hold the serve every time.”

“It remains for me the ultimate challenge to play against him,” Federer said of his great rival. “So it’s definitely very special. I said that also before the finals: if I were to win against Rafa, it would be super special and very sweet because I haven’t beaten him in a Grand Slam final for a long, long time now. Last time I guess was 2007 at Wimbledon in a five-setter. Now I was able to do it again.

“Like I said on the court, it would have been nice for both of us to win, but there’s no draws in tennis. It’s brutal sometimes.”