Nadal beats Federer to win Australian Open

huevonkiller · Feb 1, 2009

Nadal beats Federer to win Australian Open

By JOHN PYE, AP Sports Writer 5 hours, 34 minutes ago

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)—Rafael Nadal held off Roger Federer in another five-set Grand Slam final, keeping Pete Sampras’ record of 14 major titles intact for now.

Nadal became the first Spanish man to win the Australian Open, beating Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-2 in a momentum-swinging, 4-hour, 22-minute final that finished just after midnight on Sunday.

Federer, trying to equal Sampras’ record, sobbed at the trophy presentation.

“Maybe I’ll try later. God, it’s killing me,” Federer said, crying. He returned to congratulate Nadal within minutes, saying: “You deserved it. You played a fantastic final.”

Top-ranked Nadal, who has won five of the seven Grand Slam finals they’ve contested, now has a major on hard courts to go with his titles on clay and grass.

He’s the only man capable of a Grand Slam this season, 40 years after Australian great Rod Laver last won all four majors in one season.

“Roger, sorry for today. I really know how you feel right now,” Nadal said. “Remember, you’re a great champion, you’re one of the best in history. You’re going to improve on the 14 of Sampras.”

Nadal collected the trophy from Laver, on the court that was named in the great Australian’s honor, and put his arm around Federer.

“To receive this trophy from Rod Laver is a dream for me,” he said. “Rod, thanks very much. It was an amazing two weeks for me.”

Nadal advanced to the final after holding off fellow Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco on Friday in 5 hours, 14 minutes—the longest match in the tournament’s history.

Federer had a straight-sets win over Andy Roddick the previous night, but said the difference in preparation had no influence on the final.

He said the fact he’d missed the Sampras record at a tournament he’s won three times didn’t make the loss any worse or easier to take.

“Honestly, no,” he said. “I mean, it’s more like, in the first moment you’re disappointed, you’re shocked, you’re sad, you know, then all of a sudden it overwhelms you.

“The problem is you can’t go in the locker room and just take it easy and take a cold shower. You’re stuck out there. It’s the worst feeling. … it’s rough.”

Federer, so dominant when he won three of the four majors in 2006 and 2007, has now lost finals on three different surfaces to Nadal.

He hasn’t given up hope of beating the 22-year-old Spaniard.

“For sure,” he said. “I didn’t spend 4 hours out there (not) believing it.”

Nadal has four consecutive titles on clay at Roland Garros and beat Federer on grass in a five-set epic at Wimbledon last year.

He is 13-6 overall against Federer and ended the Swiss star’s 237-week streak at No. 1 last year after claiming the Beijing Olympic gold medal.

Federer, who turned around that season with a U.S. Open title, saved two championship points from 15-40 in the eighth game of the fifth set but sent a forehand long on the third match point.

Nadal flopped onto his back, then got up and raced to shake hands.

The players put their arms around the other’s shoulders at the net as they walked off the court.

Although Federer actually won one more point—174-173—his serve let him down all too frequently. He connected on only 51 percent of his first serves, and it seemed as if all of his six double-faults came at critical times.

And as the pressure ratcheted up in the fifth set, it was Federer who wilted, not Nadal. Federer had six winners and 14 unforced errors in the set, while Nadal had just two unforced errors and dropped only three points in four service games.

Federer was only able to convert 6 of 19 breakpoint chances. Nadal converted 7 of 16.

Both players started tight, committing uncharacteristic errors. Knowing that weak shots would be punished, they were pushing the limits.

They exchanged service breaks in the first two games. Normally calm on court, Federer pumped his fist after breaking for a 4-2 lead only to double-fault when facing break point in the next game.

Nadal got the key break with Federer serving at 5-5. The crowd was stunned when the Swiss smacked a forehand wide on an easy short ball to make it 15-40, and Nadal followed with a forehand passing shot winner, then held for the set.

With Nadal seemingly getting to everything and ripping winners, Federer was looking tentative and hesitating to charge the net.

But he started putting winners together and cutting his mistakes in the second set. After Nadal broke for a 4-3 lead, Federer broke the Spaniard’s next two service games, taking a 5-3 lead after converting his fifth break point of the game. He then held to take the set.

Then the match intensified.

Amid a series of rallies lasting more than 20 shots, Nadal saved six break points in his last two service games in the third set, and Federer fended off a set point while serving at 5-6.

A lunging backhand volley winner gave Nadal a 6-3 lead in the tiebreaker, earning him chants of “Rafa!” and Federer double-faulted.

Federer saved five break points while serving at 2-2 in the fourth set, then broke Nadal in the next game for a 4-2 edge.

He closed with a service winner to even it at two sets apiece.

Nadal broke Federer for a 3-1 lead and the clock ticked past midnight in the next game, taking the tournament into a third week.

It was the first Australian Open men’s final to go to five sets since Mats Wilander beat Pat Cash in 1988, the first at Melbourne Park.
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Source: Associated Press

Nadal was on the brink of losing the title in the third set. He was down Love-40 on his own serving game but he pulled that one out. Then he saved a 15-40 on his next serving game, to qualify for a tiebreaker. What a warrior, I have no clue how he lasted five sets or how he escaped in the third, but he's the best in the world.

I believe he's the quickest to 6 singles titles by age 22; Sampras had 6 by age 23, and Federer by age 24. It was a spectacular match and I'm curious to see how many grand slams Nadal can finish with.

Federer was very emotional at the trophy presentation, I did feel bad for him. He's still just 27 so he will probably win another USOpen /Wimbledon /Aussie Open before he is finished.

¹²³ · Feb 3, 2009

"V" IS FOR VICTORY
By Rafael Nadal

Hello Everyone!

Where should I begin….!I’VE WON THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN! YES!

When I finally celebrated my last point I felt something I’ve never felt before, it was a more peaceful victory compared to the one in Roland Garros and Wimbledon and at the same time, it was more complete. And I know why it was that way.

I grew up as a clay-courter and my style of game adapted to that: I learned to push my opponents out of the court and that made me wear out my physic with some much running around and long rallies.

But my uncle Tony and I knew that my game had to have more dimensions to it so that I could have the same kind of results on other surfaces. I had to change my game radically, it needed to be more direct and aggressive. I had to improve my service as well as control my game when going up to the net. I had to make my shots flatter and my volley more accurate.

We had lots of work ahead of us for sure.

Every year we’ve had to improve my game on hard courts and even though I beat Gonzalez in the final of the Olympic games, this final against Roger Federer, (who has recuperated his form) was going to be a test of fire for me.

But we made it!

All the hard work, the dedication I put into it was well worth it. And that is what sport is really about. A victory tastes amazing only if it is the result of hard work.

THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT!

Rafa
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huevonkiller · Feb 3, 2009

Thanks for the link 123, that's pretty cool.

TheBeef · Feb 9, 2009

I said 6 months ago that Nadal had passed Federer for good and I got quite a bit of sass from the gallery....Who's sassin' now?

huevonkiller · Feb 9, 2009

Nadal is an interesting character, he's got all the tools to be the greatest ever if he can stay healthy.

He's unstoppable on Clay, something most of the all-time greats struggle with.

kobimel · Feb 13, 2009

I'm usually neutral when it comes to these two. They're both incredible and the Wimbledon match between them last year was one of the best I've ever seen in any sport. Nadal has had the upper hand lately and it looks like Federer just can't stop him. Lately I've been feeling bad for Federer...I really want him to get one or two more grand slam titles. I believe he will, but beating Nadal seems impossible right now.

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Nadal beats Federer to win Australian Open

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