MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — So here was Roger Federer, down a break in the fifth set in a Grand Slam final. Across the net was his nemesis, Rafael Nadal, the left-handed Spaniard he hadn’t been able to beat in a major final in almost a decade.

The 35-year-old father of four was back in his first tour-level tournament after six months off letting his injured left knee recover, and he hadn’t won any of the big four events in tennis since Wimbledon 2012. Nadal was returning from injury, too, and somehow the pair had renewed the Roger-Rafa rivalry in a throwback Australian Open final that transcended sport.

At that moment, an 18th Grand Slam title didn’t feature in Federer’s thinking.

Don’t play the player, he reminded himself, just play the ball. Attack the serve.

With that, Federer recovered the break, and seized momentum in a roll of winning 10 consecutive points that helped propel him to a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win late Sunday night. His fifth Australian title extended his buffer to four atop the list of all-time Grand Slam champions. Nadal remained tied with Pete Sampras in second place with 14.

“For me it’s all about the comeback, about an epic match with Rafa again,” Federer said, “… that I can still do it at my age after not having won a slam for almost five years.

“That’s what I see. The last problem is the slam count — honestly, it doesn’t matter.”

Federer had lost six of the previous eight Grand Slam finals he’d played against Nadal and was 11-23 in their career meetings. His last win over Nadal in a major final was at Wimbledon in 2007.

“It remains for me the ultimate challenge to play against him,” Federer said. “It’s super sweet, because I haven’t beaten him a Grand Slam final for a long time now.

“This one means a lot to me because he’s caused me problems over the years.”

With big wins come big celebrations, Federer said. “We’re going to party like rock stars tonight.”

By winning in Melbourne, where he first played in 2000 and where he kicked off his long reign at No. 1 with the title in 2004, he became the oldest man since Ken Rosewall in 1972 to win a slam.

Federer had lost five semifinals in Australia since winning his previous title here in 2010. He’d lost three major finals since winning that last Grand Slam in 2012. He hadn’t played Nadal in a major final since losing at the French Open in ’11.

After twice rallying from a set down, Nadal was a break up in the fifth but couldn’t hang on to become the first man in the Open era to win each of the four majors twice. Instead, Federer became the first man in the Open era to win three of Grand Slam events at least five times (7 Wimbledon titles, 5 U.S. Opens, 5 Australian Opens and 1 French Open).

“The magnitude of this match is going to feel different. I can’t compare this one with any other one except for maybe the French Open in `09,” Federer said. “I waited for the French Open, I tried, I fought. I tried again and failed. Eventually I made it. This feels similar, yeah.”

Three months ago, Federer and Nadal were in the Spaniard’s native Mallorca for the opening of a tennis academy wondering if they’d ever be able to contend for majors again.

Yet here they were, the first Grand Slam tournament of the season, renewing the classic rivalry that saw them dominate tennis a decade ago.

The long-odds final — No. 9 against No. 17 — unfolded after six-time champion Novak Djokovic was upset by No. 117-ranked Denis Istomin in the second round and top-ranked Andy Murray, a five-time losing finalist in Australia, went out in the fourth round to 50th-ranked Mischa Zverev.

Federer beat Zverev, and then U.S. Open champion Stan Wawrinka in a five-set, all-Swiss semifinal. That was the night before Nadal held off Grigor Dimitrov in an almost five-hour, five-set semifinal late Friday.

After four sets of a final where the momentum alternately swung, the fifth had all the tension and drama that these two players are famous for.

Federer had a medical time out for treatment on his upper right leg and was broken in his first service game of the deciding set.

But he rallied and put Nadal under pressure. Nadal saved three break points in the eighth game but lost momentum again when Federer finished off a 26-shot rally — the longest of the match — with a forehand winner down the line.

Federer got the pivotal break for 5-3, but Nadal made him work for the very last point.

Serving for the match, and after saving two break points, Federer was called for a double-fault at deuce. He challenged the out call on his second serve, however, and it was overturned. Tempo back in his court.

After hitting a forehand crosscourt winner on his second match point, his celebrations were delayed when Nadal challenged the call.

Federer watched the replay, and leaped for joy when it showed his last shot was in — the perfect finish to his 100th match at the Australian Open.

“Congratulation to Roger … Just amazing, the way he’s playing after such a long time of him not being on the tour,” Nadal said. “For sure, you have been working a lot to make that happen.”

“I fight a lot these two weeks,” he added. “Today, a great match, probably Roger deserved it a little bit more than me.”

Federer’s championship victory capped a remarkable weekend for 30-somethings — all four singles finalists were 30 or older — after 35-year-old Serena Williams beat her older sister, Venus, in the women’s final to capture her Open-era record 23rd Grand Slam title.</s>Serena Williams will play her sister Venus in the Australian Open final today.

The 22 Grand Slam winner dismissed her Croatian opponent Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 6-2 6-1 to join her sister who had earlier come from a set down to beat fellow American, CoCo Vandeweghe.

Both sisters last met in Melbourne in 2003 in the finals. Serena had won the title six times. Venus best showing was playing the final with Serena 14 years ago.

'For us both to be in the final is the biggest dream come true for us,' said Serena, a year her sister's junior.

'She's my toughest opponent, no one has ever beaten me as much as Venus has. I just feel like no matter what's happened we've both won … A Williams is going to win this tournament.'

The six-times champion was all but untouchable when her first serve hit the mark and sealed the win when Lucic-Baroni smashed a forehand into the net, the American reaching her 29th grand slam final where she will bid for a 23rd major title.

Serena gave her opponent a huge hug at the net before watching on smiling as Lucic-Baroni took a selfie as a memento of her day in the sun.

'Honestly she's inspiration, she deserves all the credit today,' said Serena. 'Everything she's gone through, she inspires me.'

Venus needed almost three times as long to overcome world number 35 Vandeweghe, who broke the 13th seed on her first service game and won the opening set on a tiebreaker. Venus went on to clinch the next two sets, remarkably saving 12 of 13 break points she faced, seven in the second set alone.

Venus danced around the court in breathless delight at her victory and gave the crowd an elaborate version of her traditional twirl, having ensured she would become the oldest Australian Open women's finalist in the professional era.

'Everyone has their moment in the sun,' Venus said. 'Maybe mine has gone on a while but I'd like to keep that going. I got nothing else to do, let's keep it going.'

Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal will battle his friend, Roger Federer for the Australian Open title on Sunday after Nadal edged hard fighting Grigor Bulgarian Dimitrov 6-3 5-7 7-6 6-7 6-4 in the semi-final.

The five-set thriller stretched past midnight in Melbourne, with Nadal serving out the game at 5-4 for his 21st Grand Slam final and a possible 15th career grand slam if he was able to beat Roger Federer.</s>Australian Open: Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal tipped as 'biggest' final ever

Posted

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are set to do battle in what organisers have declared the biggest Australian Open final in the tournament's 105-year history.

Twenty-four hours after Serena Williams denied sister Venus in the women's decider, Federer and Nadal will also roll back the years in a 'retro' men's final on Rod Laver Arena.

A strong crowd had already begun to file in to Melbourne Park on Sunday afternoon, hours before one of the most hotly anticipated clashes in recent history.

Officials will take the unprecedented step of opening up Margaret Court Arena and telecasting the final on a big screen inside the 7,500-seat stadium, with the champion set to speak at the venue after the match.

"It'll be the biggest crowd (at Melbourne Park) for a finals' weekend, for sure," tournament director Craig Tiley said.

"From a global audience point of view, we know last year our event surpassed 350 million globally that watched it. All the indicators that we've got as we stand here now (suggest) that we'll surpass that number.

"From an Australian Open final point of view, from a global point of view and I think from a stadium point of view, it'll be the biggest (ever)."

The appearances of Serena (35 years old), Venus (36), Roger (35) and Rafa (30) in the championship matches marks the first time the veteran quartet have played off for the men's and women's trophies since Wimbledon in 2008.

Federer, already the men's all-time major title leader, is attempting to win his 18th, four and a half years after last reigning at one of tennis's four biggest events.

It is also the Swiss master's first tournament back since breaking down at Wimbledon last July with a recurrence of a knee injury he required surgery for five months earlier.

Nadal, chasing his 15th major, is hoping to crown his own comeback from an injury-ravaged 2016 season and re-enter the conversation about who is the sport's greatest modern-day player.

AAP

Topics: australian-open, tennis, sport, melbourne-3000</s>All eyes will be on Melbourne Sunday night as one of tennis’ great storybook rivalries writes another chapter.

In a return to the golden age of their careers, 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer faces 14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in 2017 Australian Open Men’s Championship.

Late last year, Federer joined his long-time rival and friend in Mallorca, Spain, to officially open the Rafa Nadal Tennis Center. That day, only months ago, Federer was sidelined recovering from a knee injury. Nadal, too, had shut his season down due to a wrist injury.

Both players joked around that they would’ve loved to play an exhibition for the fans, yet they were unable.

Now, here we are, hours away from these two great champions facing off for the chance to lift another Grand Slam trophy.

Now No. 17 in the world, Roger Federer returned to Melbourne to play his first official tournament in over six months, and against all odds, the Swiss great has turned the clock back to his years of domination on the tour, coming all the way through his side of the draw to make his first Australian Open final since 2010.

It is only fitting that his opponent is his greatest rival. Federer and Nadal have played 34 times before, putting on some of the greatest shows in tennis history. Yet, despite all the history between these two greats, this 35th meeting is one of the most intriguing.

In their primes, seemingly every final was contested by these two great champions and ambassadors of the sport.

Since 2004, when the pair first met in Miami, Nadal owns a 23-11 head-to-head over the Swiss Maestro. The two have contested nine Grand Slam finals, where Nadal has won six of the eight. Federer’s only two victories in Grand Slam finals have come at Wimbledon.

As the men’s top seeds dropped out left and right throughout this unpredictable tournament, talk of this dream final began to surface, yet no one could have dreamed that a 35-year-old coming off knee surgery and a 30-year-old coming off a wrist injury would be the final matchup.

These two great champions have continued to defy all odds for two weeks, and the dream final is finally upon us. At 35, Federer becomes the second oldest man to reach a Grand Slam final since Ken Rosewell made the U.S. Open final in 1974 at 39.

Nadal is seeking to become the first man ever to repeat the career Grand Slam. A win in Melbourne would give the Spaniard each Grand Slam title at least twice.

These ambassadors of the sport have become friends over the years, and at this point in their careers, both Federer and Nadal recognize how special this match is.

“Is special (to) play with Roger again in a final of a Grand Slam,” Nadal said. “I cannot lie. Is great. Is exciting for me and for both of us that we still there and we still fighting for important events. That's very special.”

“I just think he's an incredible tennis player,” Federer said. “He's got shots that no other one has. When you have that, you are unique and special. Plus, he's got the grit. He's got the mental and physical ability to sustain a super high level of play for years and for hours and for weeks. He's proven that time and time again.”

“I think he's been tremendous for the game,” he continued. “I have a lot of respect for him on many levels.”

On Sunday night, history will be made down under one way or another. No matter the outcome, the tennis world will rejoice in having one more opportunity to see these two amazing champions fight one more time.

There is no better way to close the book on an amazing 2017 Australian Open.

Before reaching this final, each player had to fend off two amazing players in five-set thrillers.

For Federer, he faced his friend and countryman Stan Wawrinka in the semifinals. Always an awkward match because of their history, both former Australian Open champions were hungry for another shot at the title.

Federer got off to a great start, claiming the first two sets. Just as he looked ready to finish the match in straight sets, the Swiss number one found another level, storming back to take the third and fourth sets.

For the second time in the tournament, Federer was forced to five sets. Just like the previous time, the 17-time Grand Slam champion broke early, gliding to victory.

Looking back, Federer’s start to the tournament was far from perfect. In the early days, a run to the final seemed unfathomable.

The 35-year-old was pushed to four sets in the opening round against Melzer, but he came through. He was tested by a 20-year-old American in the second round, but fought through.

It was in the third round that Federer found his old self, crushing Tomas Berdych in straight sets. World No. 5 Kei Nishikori pushed the Swiss great in the round-of-16 to five sets, but Federer came out on top.

The four-time Australian Open champion easily dispatched Andy Murray-conqueror Mischa Zverev in the quarterfinals to set his all-Swiss semi against his Davis Cup teammate.

After two incredible weeks, no one would’ve imagined that Federer would be only three sets away from his 18th major title. His passion, commitment and drive is like any other in the sport.

This will be Federer's first final in Melbourne since 2010, when Federer claimed his fourth Australian Open title, his most recent Grand Slam on a hard court.

As the great champion told the crowd on court after his semifinal win, “if I can’t walk for another 5 months, that’s okay. I’ll give it all I have.”

Nadal fends off challenge from Grigor Dimitrov to set up dream final

After Federer’s three hour victory the night before, all eyes were on Nadal to see if the 14-time Grand Slam champion could make the dream final a reality. Nadal faced world No. 15 Grigor Dimitrov, whose game has long been compared to Federer’s.

As if Federer’s epic semifinal wasn’t enough, the Spaniard and the Bulgarian battled for four hours and 56 minutes, just shy of five hours. The match was back-and-forth throughout. There were twists and turns, and both players were pushed to the brink.

Nadal had just enough in the end, breaking Dimitrov in the ninth game of the fifth set before serving the match out.

The world number nine had an easier start to the tournament than Federer, breezing through his first two matches. His greatest test came in the third round when he clashed with up-and-comer Alexandr Zverev.

Nadal found himself down two sets to one, but the 2009 Australian Open champion found enough left in the tank to get past the 19-year-old German.

Nadal faced quality opponents since that thriller, yet the 30-year-old has been too good. He battled past Gael Monfils in the round-of-16 and world No. 3 Milos Raonic in the quarterfinals before setting up his semifinal with Dimitrov.

This will be Nadal's third-ever Australian Open final, his first since 2014, where he lost to Wawrinka. His lone title down under came in 2009, when he beat Federer.

The 35th edition of Federer-Nadal, or as many have been calling it "Fedal," promises to be one of the most unique ever, considering how unexpected this matchup is.

The two champions last met in the Basel final in 2015, where Federer beat his longtime rival in his hometown tournament.

Having played 34 times before, Federer and Nadal know each other’s game like no one else does. In this unexpected final, one of the greatest hurdle for both players will be nerves early on.

After winning Wimbledon in 2012, Federer has been 0-3 in Grand Slam finals since, all losses to Novak Djokovic. In each match, Federer did not get off to a good start as his nerves got the best of him. He will need a better start should he claim title number 18 on Sunday.

The same applies to Nadal. The 14-time Grand Slam champion has not been to a Grand Slam final since 2014 when he won the French Open for a record ninth time, and nerves will undoubtedly play a role.

In terms of match strategy, look for Nadal to repeat what he did in the semifinal against Dimitrov. The Bulgarian’s game is very like Federer’s, so the logic says if Nadal beat someone similar to Federer, he will look to employ that same approach.

Nadal often looked to push Dimitrov to his backhand, so look for the Spaniard to repeat this strategy.

Federer will want to avoid getting into long rallies with Nadal, who is one of the best defensive players on tour. The 35-year-old should look to control the net from the start, which would allow him to keep Nadal on his toes and keep points short.

No matter the champion on Sunday night, the tennis world will be treated to an epic match down under. Perhaps the two most beloved players on the ATP World Tour, seeing either great champion win another Grand Slam trophy would be an incredible sight.

One extra interesting wrinkle in this match concerns Federer's extra days of rest. Thanks to the tournament’s scheduling and a hint of luck, the Swiss No. 2 played his semifinal the day before Nadal, giving him one extra day to prepare for the final. In addition, Federer also played almost two hours less in his semifinal win.

However, Federer should not expect a tired Spaniard. Nadal is one of the best players ever in terms of recovering after a tough match.

Just took to 2009 for the best example, where Nadal played an epic semifinal with Fernando Verdasco before recovering to beat Federer in the final.

Yet, now, after all the talk and predictions, all we can do is sit back, smile and enjoy this amazing men’s final. One of these two amazing champions will lift another title and one will fall short. But, we, the fans, are the real winners for getting the chance to witness this historic matchup another time.</s>Roger Federer tops Rafael Nadal in a five-set match to win the Australian Open for his first Grand Slam singles title since Wimbledon in 2012. (2:17)

MELBOURNE, Australia -- In what might have been the most important tennis match in history, Roger Federer made an emphatic case for the title of greatest male player ever.
• None Advantage Roger Federer in the chase for the GOAT title Roger Federer took the lead in the case for Best Ever with his win at the Australian Open, but make no mistake, the race isn't over, not if Rafael Nadal has anything to say about it.
• None Roger Federer defied his greatest rival and Father Time on the way to the Australian Open title. How does his accomplishment stack up with other great flourishes from aging athletes?
• None More tough luck for Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open Once again, the Australian Open dealt Rafael Nadal a losing hand, but he should be feeling a lot more optimistic than he did a year ago.

On Federer's second match point, he finished it with a forehand winner on the line that was challenged by Nadal and -- after an awkward but thrilling pause -- upheld by replay.

After missing six months of tennis from July to January, the 35-year-old Federer, who hadn't won a Grand Slam singles title since Wimbledon in 2012, improbably ran his major total to 18, four ahead of Nadal. Suddenly, the odds of Nadal catching Federer have diminished greatly.

"Against Rafa it's always epic," Federer said in a television interview. "This one means a lot to me because he's caused me problems over the years."

The oldest major finalist in 43 years, Federer lost control of his legendary forehand in the final two sets but rallied famously late in the fifth. He was flying around the court in the final games.

Federer accepted the silver trophy, appropriately, from the great Aussie champion Rod Laver, whose name is on the stadium.

"I'm out of words," Federer said in his on-court interview, addressing Nadal. "I don't think either one of us believed we'd be in the final here when we were at your academy five, six months ago. Here we stand in the finals.

"I'm happy for you. I would have been happy to lose to you. The comeback was perfect as it was. It's been a difficult last six months, let's be honest. I wasn't sure I was going to be here, but here I am. This was a wonderful run, and I can't be more happy to win tonight."

Federer noted that while there are no draws in tennis, he would happily share this titanic title with Nadal.

It was Nadal, 30, perhaps the most resilient and mentally tough tennis player of his or any generation, who blinked in the end.

When it was over, Nadal looked stricken.

"First of all, I can say congrats to Roger and all his team," Nadal said in his on-court interview. "Just amazing the way he's playing after such a long time without being on the tour. For sure, you have been working hard to get that one, so very happy for you.

"Today, I think was a great match. Probably Roger deserved it a little bit more than me."

Federer becomes the fourth-oldest Grand Slam winner ever; Ken Rosewall won majors at the ages of 35, 36 and 37. Federer is also the first man in tennis history to win three majors five or more times. His trophy collection includes five Australian Opens, one French Open, seven Wimbledons and five US Opens.

Nadal was the fourth top-10 player to fall to Federer in Melbourne, following No. 10 Tomas Berdych, No. 5 Kei Nishikori and No. 4 Stan Wawrinka.

And so, the match -- the Thunder Down Under -- actually lived up to its over-the-top billing, particularly in the final crucial stages.

This was a dramatic collision of the two most decorated players of their generation. The fact that they were well past their prime -- and hadn't met in a Grand Slam final in almost six years -- made it even more delicious.

This first Grand Slam final of the year sent the tennis universe into a frenzy, and record television ratings were expected. At Melbourne Park, some courtside seats were reportedly going for $26,000. For the first time, organizers opened the second-biggest show court, Margaret Court Arena, and showed the match on the video screens. Nearly 25,000 attended the session.

As recently as three months ago, this matchup didn't seem remotely possible. When the two men got together at the opening of Nadal's new tennis academy in Mallorca, Spain, Federer was still troubled by a balky knee and Nadal a wrist injury. Instead of playing an exhibition, they hit a few balls with the juniors and posed for photos.

Nadal had said neither player could have imagined making the final of the year's first Grand Slam after coming back from their respective injuries.

Even when they arrived in Australia, they were afterthoughts, with Nadal seeded No. 9 and Federer No. 17. But when No. 1 Andy Murray and No. 2 Novak Djokovic crashed out early, they began to attract attention.

There were, however, some mitigating circumstances that allowed Federer fans to dream.

Federer, who beat Wawrinka in a five-set semifinal Thursday, had an extra 24 hours to recover for this final. Nadal needed a bruising 4 hours, 56 minutes to defeat Grigor Dimitrov one night later.

At one time, Nadal seemed physically indestructible. In 2009, he defeated Fernando Verdasco in an Aussie Open semifinal match that ran 5 hours, 14 minutes then recovered quickly to beat Federer in a five-set final. But that was eight years ago.

And then there were the speedy conditions -- according to the players, faster courts and balls -- that helped Federer's fluid game. Serving and coming to the net would prove critical for Federer, no more so than in the first set.

Federer won 14 of the 15 points when he landed his first serve in during the opening set. He finished the set with an ace, which was encouraging. Federer hadn't beaten Nadal in any match in which he lost the first set in more than a decade.

Predictably, Nadal came racing back, winning the first four games of the following frame. Federer's forehand became unstrung, and Nadal, also attacking the backhand with high-hoppers, leveled the match.

Federer raced out to a 40-love lead in the first game of the third set then weathered three break points to hold. Federer broke Nadal immediately and won six of seven games.

Nadal, who wasn't moving with his usual abandon, broke Federer in the fourth set's fourth game. A marginal favorite in this battle for the ages, Nadal rolled in the fourth set, never facing a break point, to send the match to a fifth and final set.

The match, played at a relatively brisk pace, cooled considerably when Federer left the court for treatment. After a seven-minute break, it felt like a new match.

The fifth set, unlike the three that preceded it, was spectacular.

After whiffing on five break points in the set, Federer converted in the sixth game and, 3 hours and 19 minutes in, the match was level.

After going 1-for-10 on break points, Federer converted with Nadal serving at 3-4. He held that margin to the end, winning on that dramatic replay call.

It was the fourth time a Federer-Nadal Grand Slam final went to five sets, the most between any two players in the Open era, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Federer became the first No. 17 seed to win a Grand Slam title since Pete Sampras won the 2002 US Open in his final major appearance.

Nadal said he was pleased with his play in Australia, saying he's "back at a very high level."

"I'm going to keep fighting during the whole season and for sure, to come back here for many years and keep trying to have this trophy," Nadal said. "That is the third time that I have [the runner-up trophy]. This is beautiful but still much better the trophy."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.</s>It was Roger Federer’s unlikeliest Grand Slam title, which is quite a statement for a 35-year-old champion who has now won 18 of them.

But where else should one rank this Australian Open, where Federer was rightfully a true outsider? Where he arrived seeded just 17th, having not played an official tournament for more than six months because of a knee injury that spoiled his 2016 season?

Even his own expectations were tempered.

“I would have said a great event would be quarters,” Federer said. “Fourth round would be nice.”

He would get a great deal more than that in Melbourne, a city where he has had plenty of heartaches to go with his successes through the years and the tears.

He is now the oldest man to win a Grand Slam singles title in 45 years, and he pulled it off by defeating his longtime rival Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, on Sunday to win the Australian Open for the fifth time.

“You don’t know if they ever come back, these moments,” said Federer, whose most recent major championship had come at Wimbledon way back in 2012.

He earned himself another career highlight by playing with verve and precision, but also by hustling and scrapping his way through three five-set matches in the final four rounds. Although he did not have to deal with the world’s top two players, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, who were upset in the first week, Federer did have to face four top 10 players.

He defeated No. 10 Tomas Berdych, No. 5 Kei Nishikori, No. 4 Stan Wawrinka and — most important and symbolic — No. 9 Nadal, the swashbuckling Spanish left-hander who has so often thwarted Federer on big occasions. But he failed to seal the deal on Sunday despite taking a 3-1 lead in the fifth set.

“Being honest, in these kinds of matches I won a lot of times against him,” Nadal, 30, said. “Today he beat me, and I just congratulate him.”

The final — one that few could have foreseen when this tournament began — was a flashback to a decade ago, when Federer and Nadal were long the top two players in the world.

But it was not business as usual for Federer against Nadal. His one-handed backhand has long been the weak link in his elegant game when he faces Nadal, whose whipping topspin forehand has forced Federer to hit too many backhands above the shoulder — too many backhands, period.

But Federer took a different approach on Sunday, driving his backhand for the vast majority of the match instead of opting for the more defensive slice. He ripped through his backhand returns as well, and Nadal was unable to grind him down and destroy his rhythm as he had in many of their recent encounters.

Nadal is now 23-12 over all against Federer, and 6-3 in Grand Slam finals.

“He did not surprise me,” Nadal said. “He was playing aggressively, and I understand that in a match against me. I don’t think it would have been intelligent to try to get into too many long rallies from the baseline. I don’t think he would have won. He went for it, and it was the right thing for him to do.”

The result was a brisk five-setter by Nadal’s standards. He required 4 hours 56 minutes to beat Federer’s stylistic acolyte, Grigor Dimitrov, and his one-handed backhand in the semifinals.

Sunday’s final lasted just 3:37, and that included a medical timeout that Federer took off court after losing the fourth set.

Federer has rarely taken that liberty through the years, but he did the same before the fifth set of his semifinal victory over Wawrinka, citing an upper leg injury. On Sunday, he did not cite a specific injury when he spoke immediately after the match.

“Well look, my body is hurting, like Rafa’s as well, I’m sure,” he said. “It’s my third fifth set after six months, being 35 years old. I don’t like to say it. But it’s true. I’m so old.”

Federer laughed after the fact, but he looked grim when Nadal broke his serve in the opening game of the fifth set and jumped out to that 3-1 lead.

But Federer broke back to 3-3 in a game when Nadal made a very atypical error: missing a midcourt forehand that nicked the net cord and sailed wide. He eventually lost the game with another unforced error on an inside-out forehand that just missed.

Federer then broke Nadal again in the eighth game of the set — on his fifth break point of the game — to take a 5-3 lead.

All Federer had to do now was serve out the match, but he quickly fell behind by 15-40. He saved one break point with an ace and another with a forehand winner.

But though he made a forehand error on his first championship point, he converted the second with a crosscourt forehand, which was called in and challenged by Nadal.

The players awkwardly waited for confirmation. When the ball was shown to be good, Federer was soon jumping in place and grinning in the direction of his box.

He is the second oldest man to win a major singles title in the Open era, behind only Ken Rosewall who won the 1970 United States Open when he was approaching his 36th birthday, the 1971 Australian Open at 36 and the 1972 Australian Open at 37.

Federer has long admired Rosewall, Rod Laver and the leading players of Australia’s golden tennis era. He has helped create a new team competition called the Laver Cup that will start later this year. Rosewall and Laver have attended Federer’s matches during this tournament and have a personal relationship with him.

“I love that generation of players with Tony Roche, Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Roy Emerson,” Federer said before Sunday’s final.

But Federer is the one making the tennis history now, and it was Laver who appropriately presented him the trophy at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday night amid the flashes and the roars of approval from the capacity crowd.

Federer’s victory over Nadal significantly increased his chances of remaining the career leader in men’s Grand Slam singles titles. With 18, he has a sizable lead over Nadal, who ranks second with 14.

Nadal has long dominated the head-to-head series with Federer and still leads 23-12, including a 6-3 record in their major finals. Federer had not beaten Nadal at a Grand Slam tournament since the 2007 Wimbledon final.

Nadal won their most memorable final: a five-setter at Wimbledon in 2008 that ended in the twilight and is a candidate for the greatest match eve.

But Sunday’s long test of talent and perseverance will make the Federer-Nadal short list as well. Nadal’s superiority on clay is a big explanation for his career edge. He has won 13 of their 15 matches on the surface, but it is not the only big explanation. Nadal also had won eight of their 10 matches on outdoor hard courts coming into Sunday night’s final and had beaten Federer in their three previous matches at the Australian Open.

His whipping left-handed forehand remains the shot that has done the most damage to Federer’s game and confidence through the years. Nadal’s sliced serve, which forces Federer to hit backhand return after backhand return, has been decisive, too.

It is also about the complete package: Nadal’s remarkable court coverage and seemingly unsinkable competitive spirit; his passing shots, underrated versatility and tactical acumen; and his two-handed backhand, which was particularly solid and effective during this tournament.

But Nadal, who also missed the end of last season recovering from a wrist injury, could not manage to stop Federer in what may have been their last hurrah together in a Grand Slam final.

This was their most unexpected summit meeting. But they arrived in Melbourne healthy and reinvigorated and then took the hint when Djokovic and Murray lost early.

“I would have been happy to lose too, to be honest,” Federer said during the trophy ceremony. “The comeback was perfect as it was.

“Tennis is a tough sport. There’s no draws, but if there was going to be one, I would have been very happy to accept a draw tonight and share it with Rafa.”</s>Roger Federer beat Rafael Nadal in five thrilling sets in Sunday's Australian Open final, earning the 18th Grand Slam title of his career.

Federer, 35, prevailed 6–4, 3–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–3 to win his first title in Melbourne since 2010. Federer hadn't won a Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2012.

In the decisive fifth set, Nadal broke Federer in the opening game. But Federer held serve the rest of the way and managed a crucial pair of breaks to win the match.

Federer served out the match at 5–3 in the fifth set despite Nadal having two break point opportunities. The match ended on a challenge from Nadal.

Federer's 18 Grand Slam titles are the most all–time. Nadal's 14 are tied for second all–time.

This post will be updated.</s>One magical run for possibly a final Grand Slam win will be completed Sunday, while another will come to an unfortunate end, as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal square-off in the 2017 Australian Open men's final.

Both legends defied time and a competitive field to reach this point, setting up what could be the last time Federer and Nadal play for a Grand Slam title. This will certainly be match to savor, so expect plenty of passion to emanate in Melbourne, Australia.

Here is a look at the schedule for this final, as well as preview of its context and what to watch for.

With Federer holding the record for most men's Grand Slam titles with 17, and Nadal having 14 such championships of his own, it is no wonder these two combined to form the sport's top rivalry of the past decade. As a result, both players possess tremendous respect for the other.

"Rafa's definitely presented the biggest challenge," Federer said after his semifinal win over Stan Wawrinka, per ESPN's Matt Wilansky. "I played him too many times on clay early in my career, and it affected how I played him on other surfaces. This court allows me to play offense.

"I'm probably his No. 1 fan. His game is tremendous. I'm happy we've had some epic battles over the years."

Nadal is also sure to enjoy the nostalgia of the meeting, which he acknowledged after he downed Grigor Dimitrov in five-set thriller in the semifinals, per Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times.

"It's special to play with Roger again in a final of a Grand Slam," Nadal said. "I cannot lie. It's great. It's exciting for me, and for both of us, that we're still there and we're still fighting for important events."

Given Federer's age and the injury history of both players, these two may never meet again on such an important stage. The Swiss is actually going for a historic mark on Sunday, per the ATP:

That will certainly be tough for Federer, as Nadal has been strong when these two meet. The 30-year-old Spaniard is 23-11 against Federer in his professional career, including 9-2 in Grand Slams.

Nadal is known for his mastery of clay courts, so Federer's chances could improve on the hard surface in Melbourne. However, Nadal owns an 8-6 advantage in hard-court matches in addition to a 3-0 mark at the Australian Open.

This past success obviously bodes well for Nadal, which could help out his legacy in the eyes of some tennis observers. There is often a debate about whether one of these two is the greatest player ever, and former tennis star Andy Roddick believes this match could go a long way in that discussion.

"The historical context of that match, whether it becomes 17-15 with the French Open next, or 18-14, that's such a big difference in the historical march for both those guys," Roddick said, per the Associated Press' Justin Bergman.

"That might be, as far as history goes, the biggest match ever in Australian Open history and maybe Grand Slam history. What's at stake there is beyond what pretty much any player can comprehend."

So far in this tournament, each have posted impressive numbers while having to go five sets twice apiece. Yet Federer has been slightly more efficient. He won at least 75 percent of his first-serve points in five of his six matches, and he is averaging 34 unforced errors per outing.

Conversely, Nadal has been less effective when serving, winning at least 75 percent twice on first serve. However, Nadal is averaging just under 31 unforced errors a match, but Federer's 31 return-game victories edges Nadal's 27.

Winning the first set will also be crucial, as each player excels when doing so. Federer goes on to win 93 percent of the time he wins the first set, while winning just 40 percent when losing it. Comparably, Nadal wins 94 percent of the time with a win in the first and 43 percent with a loss.

Nadal has dropped the first set just once in this tournament, against Alexander Zverev in the third round, while Federer spectacularly came back after losing the first against No. 5 seed Kei Nishikori in the fourth round.

Nadal is the favorite to win based on his knack for solving Federer, but the latter arguably looks sharper at the moment. His sense of urgency may be larger as well considering the age discrepancy, and his momentum could not be greater during this sensational run.

This one will undoubtedly be tight, and no matter the outcome, expect an instant classic on Sunday.

All career statistics are courtesy of ATPWorldTour.com, and all tournament statistics are courtesy of AUSOpen.com unless otherwise noted.</s>When they met at the 2009 Australian Open final at the age of 22 and 27 respectively, who would have guessed that Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer would play just two more grand slam finals against each other in the next eight years?

Well, fast forward to 2017 and the pair are about to meet in only their second Melbourne final – so what can we learn from the first one?

Until now, it was their only hard court major final

Up until now, the 2009 final in Melbourne was incredibly the only time these two ever met in a hard-court grand slam final, having contested three Wimbledon finals and three French Open finals.

Federer’s record at the time was eight hard-court grand slams to Nadal’s zero, but that all changed when the Spaniard took the title in Oz after an epic final.

Rog went on to reclaim his title, winning it for the fourth time in 2010, while Rafa has since lost in the final twice.

These two can go the distance

We mentioned that the 2009 final was an epic, and oh boy, we were not kidding.

The top two tennis players in the world at the time tussled for four hours and 23 minutes, with Nadal eventually triumphing 7-5, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2 after some of the finest tennis the planet has ever seen.

Even more remarkable was the fact Nadal had played out the longest match in Australian Open history in his semi-final against Fernando Verdasco, taking five hours and 14 minutes to beat his rival.

So it’s not just Andy Murray who cries after losing grand slam finals? Roger had won 13 majors at this point, including the Australian Open three times, but losing still hit him pretty hard.

In context however, Federer was one grand slam short of Sampras’s record of 14 at the time, and could probably sense that the youthful Nadal might have something to say about that record as well one day.

“Maybe I’ll try later again, I don’t know, god, it’s killing me,” said Federer after the match. He managed to speak a little later, but we reckon a grand slam final defeat at the age of 35 might be similarly difficult for him.

Who went on to have the better season?

It might have seemed a bit rubbish at the time for Federer, but his season panned out much better than Nadal’s.

Rog managed to win the French Open later that year, completing the career grand slam, as well as adding a sixth Wimbledon title to his collection. Rafa meanwhile only managed a US Open semi-final appearance, losing to Juan Martin del Potro.

All in all, Federer has added four majors since his Australian Open disappointment, with Nadal managing eight, including five more French Open titles.

Will either of them add any more majors after this final, or is it both Nadal and Federer’s last chance for grand slam silverware?</s>MELBOURNE — Roger Federer’s first official tournament back after six months on an injury timeout miraculously ended with his 18th career Grand Slam title at the Australian Open on Sunday night.

In a match in which he looked likely to lose, down 1-3 in the fifth set, the 35-year-old Federer proved just why sports captures the imagination. Results can’t be called in, the expected doesn’t always happen.

Federer, at an age where most would declare him over-the-hill for taking top prizes, defeated 30-year-old Rafael Nadal 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in 3 hours, 38 minutes. The match was the 100th Federer’s played in his career at the Australian Open.

No man in the game has as many Grand Slam titles as Federer. Nadal and Pete Sampras are the closest with 14 and tied at second place.

The two old rivals saved the high-intensity drama for the fifth set, which had spectators jumping out of their seats in excitement. Prior to the set starting, Federer took a medical timeout off the court for a right upper leg problem — he rarely has done that in his career, but he did the same in the semifinal against Stan Wawrinka.

The win came on a second match point and Federer had to wait until the challenge replay confirmed his forehand crosscourt winner was actually a winner. He jumped up and down, and then was seen teary-eyed as he sat in his court-side chair.

“When I hit the ball and Rafa challenged, I knew it was in — I knew this ball was in,” said Federer, of the final point. “It was awkward with the challenge, but that’s how it is.”

Federer sustained a knee injury last year, the day after he lost in the semifinals at Melbourne Park when he was bathing his children. He had arthroscopic surgery in February and played sporadically the first half of the year. But after losing in the Wimbledon semifinals, he finally closed down his 2016 campaign to allow for the knee to properly heal.

Nadal also had health issues last season — a left wrist injury — and he finally called it quits for the season in October.

“I’d like to congratulate Rafa on an amazing comeback, too,” Federer said. “I don’t think either one of us thought we would be in the final at the Australian Open this year. I am happy for you. I would’ve been happy to lose to you tonight, too, really.”

At the net they shared a friendly moment, but Nadal had to be disappointed to have surrendered a service break lead in the final set. “This is the third time I have this trophy, it is beautiful, but not what I wanted,” said Nadal to the crowd, laughing, about being a finalist again.

Nadal offered Federer 11 break point opportunities in the final set, and while he saved nine of those, Federer only needed two to clinch the match. Federer took advantage of a sixth break point in the sixth game to pull even to 3-3, and he broke on a fifth break point in the ninth game to set up serving for the match at 5-3.

“I could have been left disappointed there and accepted that fact,’ said Federer, of the fifth set. “I kept on fighting. I kept on believing…that there was a possibility I could win this match.”

Nadal understood how close he was to victory and how his serve failed him at times, most especially in that fifth set.

“If I hold that one (game to 4-3), you never know,” Nadal said. “You are just two games away. But I didn’t.”

Federer still trails Nadal in career meetings as the Spaniard leads 23-12. The match was the 12th time the two played at a Grand Slam with Nadal now leading 9-3, and a ninth in a major final that still finds Nadal on top 6-3.

Nadal came into the match having won three of the five previous five-setters the two played, including their last in the 2009 Australian Open final, the only time Nadal won this trophy.

Through much of the match, Federer repeatedly would take the ball early, thereby preventing Nadal from keeping rallies going. His backhand was the impressive shot in his arsenal, especially a backhand cross-court return, and that showed all the earmarks of Federer now working with Ivan Ljubicic.

“I told myself to play free,” Federer said. “You play the ball, you don’t play the opponent. Be free in your head, be free in your shots, go for it.

“The brave will be rewarded here,” he added.

Federer’s serve was a solid weapon as well, and he put up 20 aces. He even set up his second match point with an ace.

But where his aces really were most noticeable was in the first game of the third set.

Federer had just come off losing the second set, even allowing Nadal to break his serve twice in that set, although he recouped one of those breaks. And now in the first game of the third set Nadal challenged with three break points — Federer saved all three of those with aces.
In tennis, Roger Federer of Switzerland defeats Rafael Nadal of Spain in the final of the men's singles.