Fed proves he is still top dog

If you rewind back three years in the tennis world, Roger Federer was being largely written off with young(er) pretenders Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray looking set to battle it out for the major titles as tennis’new power double act.

Back then, not many of the sport’s advocates would have believed that the classy Swiss legend would be lifting the Australian trophy for the sixth time in 2018.

Even less that he would still be breaking his own records, overtaking his previous record for most men’s major titles by serving up a magnificent twentieth in Melbourne.

Before performing the same feat in 2017, the 36-year-old master hadn’t lifted a major in five years; largely due to the imperious form of Djokovic on all surfaces and the sublime talent of Murray on grass.

Following back and knee problems, the 2017 Australian Open seemed like a final bow from one of the sport’s greatest.

Few could have seen him winning three of the last five majors. And while he has undoubtedly benefited from Novak, Andy and Rafa Nadal’s relative (and numerous) injury worries, he has nonetheless capitalised to add to his burgeoning trophy collection.

At the first grand slam of 2018, with Murray sidelined and Djokovic struggling to recover from a wrist injury, Federer was installed as the bookies favourite (surely another record he must hold?).

Far from wilting in the heat against younger opponents, the man from Basel simply cruised past every opponent, not dropping a set, before coming up against Marin Cilic in Sunday’s final.

Played under the roof due to the intense Aussie heat, the pair went toe-to-toe in an absorbing finale lasting just over three hours.

Things didn’t start well for Cilic, who endured a tougher run to the final including a quarter-final against Nadal, as Federer wrapped up the first set 6-2 in just 25 minutes.

The 2014 US Open champion was not for lying down though, and his roaring forehand shots earned him a tie-break which he took to level the final.

Federer took the third and built up a lead in the fourth, but the Croat found another gear and managed to battle back to claim a shot at a fifth set decider.

However, as the story has so often gone

Far from wilting, he cruised to the final