Australian Open - Nadal wins Australian Open epic
Eurosport - Mon, 02 Feb 09:07:00 2009
Rafael Nadal captured the Australian Open title with an enthralling 7-5 3-6 7-6 3-6 6-2 win over Roger Federer, denying the Swiss a chance to win a record-equalling 14th Grand Slam title.
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The world number one became the first Spaniard to win the Open and chalked up his fifth straight win over Federer, including last year's French Open and Wimbledon finals.
The victory took his Grand Slam tally to six and left him needing only to win the US Open to complete the full set while reducing Federer to tears.
"God, it's killing me," Federer sobbed during the presentation ceremony.
"Rafa congrats, you played incredible, you deserve it man. (You) played another fantastic final."
Nadal offered a consoling word to his great rival after receiving the winner's trophy and a cheque for A$2 million from the only person to have twice completed the Grand Slam.
"For me to receive this trophy from Rod Laver is a dream for me," Nadal said. "It was an amazing two weeks for me."
"Roger, sorry for today. I really know how you feel right now.
"It's really tough (but) remember you are a great champion, one of the best in history and you have proved that."
The final at Melbourne Park lived up to all expectations as the two best players of their generation slugged it out for almost 4-1/2 hours in a classic match packed with magical shotmaking and intense drama.
The momentum swung back and forth throughout before Nadal struck the killer blow when he broke in the fourth game of the deciding set when Federer slapped a backhand into the net then again in the eighth game to seal a famous victory.
Nadal, showing no signs of fatigue despite his five hour, 14 minute victory over compatriot Fernando Verdasco in the semi-finals, started the match full of energy and was still running as strongly as ever at the end.
He broke Federer in the opening game and despite twice losing his own serve, he wrapped up the first set in 58 minutes after the Swiss master overcooked two backhands.
Nadal was again the first to break in the second set when Federer mistimed a forehand over the baseline but the three-times Australian Open champion won the next four games to level the match.
The pair maintained their extraordinary standard of play in a third set that was even more enthralling than the first two.
There were no service breaks in the set but Nadal saved three break points in the ninth and 11th games while world number two Federer survived a set point to force the tie-breaker.
While Nadal lost the first point on his serve, he regained his composure to win four on the trot after they were level at 3-3 to grab a two sets to one lead.
The pair traded breaks early in the fourth set before Federer, a 13-times Grand Slam winner, saved five break points in the fifth game then broke Nadal in the next to seize the initiative.
Federer safely held his two games to force the match into a deciding fifth, the first time an Australian Open final had gone the distance since Mats Wilander beat Pat Cash in 1988, the same year the tournament switched from Kooyong to the current site at Melbourne Park.
Watch the match again in full on the Eurosport Player. Click on the link under the picture to subscribe.
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Comment 329 - 348 of 348
That was a great win for him ! hope he picks up his form again .
everyone hates you rafa, when he went to roma i was his bal boy and i spit in his face. look at the reviews and u will see me
To comment 311, Federer's game has inspired lots of players when he was young and now. Thats why Nadal have more titles then Federer in the past years.
Nadal will have a total Slams of #12, he is young but his knees are getting him in his way to win over a few years.
He had pain in the 3rd set in the final of the AO, he keep fighting and thats the reason why his knees will not hold for a long time.. my point is Nadal cannot play so healthy as Federer in his age.
sorry to say this here, i think it's high time for women to play best of five sets in a Grand slam so as to make it competitive, cos women game is becoming borring and the sooner it is the better other wise with time women tennis is going to loose ground.
How many more times one must say .....the better man won, today yesterday and probably tomorrow under the name of Rafael Nadal. ----Learn his name well because he is to stay for long or till he thinks enough is enough.
Federer may have the records but not the number of victories Nadal's got in the bag in all surfaces. ----R Federer may go into the history books as a very well accomplished player but so the most bitter and beaten man by the same very best of his time as it's R Nadal so many times in sequence R Federer's myth gets blown away. ----Certainly Nadal rocks. He is the Number One. He is the better athlete. He reigns supreme. He is unique and top of the world. -----If only rules said that Federer should be deposed of every single GS title then Nadal would become now the greatest ever.---So please abstain from referring R Federer as the the greatest in tennis while Nadal kicks his bum all over time after time non-stop, do not get embarrassed yourselves and learn to act with humllity like champion Nadal and the sooner you recognise Nadal is God the better for you all.
To be honest...the final betwwen the girls...did not deserved to be watched:) it was obvious Serena would have win the title. Nothing interesting in that match, really, sorry to say that...
U put too much emotion. A few days ago, i saw Roger's pictures here on this site, after every victory on the Australian Open..even if Rafa had victories too and HE is number one, not Roger. All my respect for Roger, i have nothing to say against him, he's a real champion , a great person...But i just support my favourite, Rafa Nadal and try to keep calm and speak the right words for the opponents. Keep calm and support your favourite,its so simple and nice:)
I wonder who is going to win in Roland Garros again... and again... and again...
I agree with u that theres only one winner but whats making me real sick is that they cant stop talking federers loss... did they say anything about safina's embarassing loss? yes they do only show a little petit article about it.....
Other side FEDERER LOSS they didnt write " haha" between the words... hehe...
are u sure pitic? all matches? wheres the match williams v safina? i cant see it or im blind? :) yesterday twice today three times .... no williams safina ooo cmon!!
I mean no repeats of that match in the US.....
What the papers said bla bla bla, you eurosport guys just wanna hammer federers loss... what have he done to get this unrespecteble treatment.....
Did eurosport show Federer's match at the Us Open final?? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Why they dislike Federer that MUCHH???
Eurosport shows all the matches 3rd times or many more times,aus11123. Do not speak nonsense. In every match someone wins and some one loses. Its not only bout Roger u know?:)
Wooooooooooooow haters!!!!!!!! eurosport shows the match fed vs nad 3rd time this day, they really like to show federer losing arent they?? rafa likkers.... ye sureeeee rafa played soooo well we need to show it 10 times a day and fed haha he lose, they 100% think of that for sure!!!!!
Incredibile the relationship between two of them. So much respect, in and out the court. Congrats to both. They are the best, no matter who is better then the other on the court, they are..above all the rest. They are the masters of the present tennis world..for sure.
Nice put,Bobo:)
Reducing such a great to that state tarnished the victory, Nadal said.
Hear what a human being (tue champion has to say, "It was a tough situation, a tough moment for him more than me, but it was tough for me, too," he said. "Roger, we have a relationship and it was a tough moment for him. There was too much emotion there yesterday.
"Probably in the future, when we see that moment on the TV, it is going to be nice, but when you live in that moment it is tough because I can't enjoy 100 per cent the victory because I saw him cry." Shame on all those who would take his glory.
Just a little comment, for all, who don't like Rafa's game. He is a natural born topspiner and if he could, he would rather play flat shots than spins, but i think he can't! That's why he developed his spin strokes to perfection and he is very successful with that kind of play. With spins he can move his opponents around the cort, he can hit great angels, but short spins are also easy to attact, so he need to defend better. Naturally, to be able to beat tennis genius like Roger,he must be so fit and quick, that he can and get himself in position to make great shots from seemingly impossible angles. Honestly, Roger has bigger tennis talent than Rafa, but Rafa has the biggest heart, much bigger power will and of cuorse superior athleticism!
invalid invalid invalid, damn it !
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