Australian Open 2009 Finale

Rod Laver Arena: (1)Rafael Nadal (ESP) d. (2)Roger Federer (SUI)  7-5 3-6 7-6(3) 3-6 6-2

The two best players in the world since 2005, have met each other for the 19th time (Nadal leads after the final 13-6), and 7th time in a Grand Slam final (5-2 record), but for the first time in Australia. It was his first match since epic Wimbledon’s final in 2008, where Nadal won 9-7 in the fifth set after 4 hours 48 minutes.

This time, their final was half an hour shorter, but also abundant in many great rallies and dramaturgy.
Nadal began the match with break of serve but in the next game Federer took a ribreak and in the 6th game broke Nadal’s serve once again. At 4:2 (30-15) for Federer, Nadal played two incredible points to came back into the set.

The Spaniard broke Federer’s serve at 5:5 for the third time in that set, and won it 7-5. In the fifth game of the second set, Nadal converted 4th out of 4 break points he had at that moment, but since 2:3 down, Federer won four games in a row, breaking opponent’s serve twice, second time at 5th break point chance in the game to level up at one set a piece.

The third set went to a tiebreak despite Nadal began to feel in the legs (needed a massage of the right thigh twice) his amazing semifinal with Verdasco. Federer had much more bigger chance to win the set with one break – wasted 6 mini-setpoints in all in two games: 4:4 (40-0), 5:5 (40-15, adv.). In the tie-break the Swiss made a simple forehand error at 3:3. The next two points Nadal finished with forehand and amazing backhand volley to reach triple setpoint (first one had at 6:5, Federer saved it with service winner) – Federer served double fault, one out of six that evening, and lost 78-minute set.

In the fourth set Federer jumped to 2:0 lead, Nadal equaled quickly, but the break of his serve in the sixth game decided the set, and the match went to a five-setter, their fifth one (Nadal won in Rome ‘06 and Wimbledon ‘08; Federer in Miami ‘05 and Wimbledon ‘07). The fifth set was tied only in the first two games. Nadal broke to lead 3:1, and won his next two service games comfortably. Being 2:5 down, Federer saved double match point, but at the third match point send a forehand long and Nadal could celebrate his 32nd title, and 6th Grand Slam title, in his characteristic style, falling on the backwards.

“It is very special for me,” said Nadal. “It is a dream to win here, one Grand Slam on hard court. I worked very hard all my life to improve my tennis outside courts, well, outside of clay”. “I had many chances. I missed them and they cost me dearly,” confessed Federer. “It was a tough match. I don’t think I served particularly well, unfortunately. And I think that was the key to the match in the end.” Federer made 52 per cent of first serves (Nadal 64 %).

22 year-old Nadal becomes the 14th man in the Open Era to win three or more of the four Grand Slam titles and just the fourth man in history to win Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces, and the second youngest player (after Bjorn Borg) who collected 6 Grand Slam crowns. As a first player since Goran Ivanisevic at the Wimbledon 2001, Nadal won back-to-back five-set matches to clinch a Grand Slam title. The last man who did it at the Australian Open, was Mats Wilander 21 years ago -  beat 3-2 Stefan Edberg in the semifinal, and 3-2 Pat Cash in the final, in the first Australian Open on the hardcourts (earlier the tournament was playing on grass).