AUSTRALIAN OPEN
PUREFED BRILLIANT Swiss ace vows to party like rock star after titanic victory over old foe Rafa
ROGER FEDERER pledged to party like a rock star after beating Rafael Nadal to win his 18th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.
Federer ousted Nadal 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-3 in a pulsating final on Rod Laver Arena as the Swiss sealed his first major triumph since Wimbledon in 2012.
Nadal twice came back from a set down and looked in charge when up a break in the decider, but Federer strung together five games in a row to claim his fifth Melbourne crown.
This was Federer’s 15th major tournament since he beat Andy Murray to win Wimbledon five years ago and many believed title No.18 might never come.
“Now we made it, we’re going to be partying like rock stars tonight,” Federer said.
“I think this one will take more time to sink in. When I go back to Switzerland, I’ll think, ‘wow’. The magnitude of this match is going to feel different.
“I can’t compare this one to any other one except maybe the French Open in ‘09. I tried, I fought. I tried again and failed. Eventually I made it. This feels similar.”
Federer’s success is all the more remarkable given he arrived here without playing a single tour match since Wimbledon last summer.
In his on-court speech, the 35-year-old cast some doubt as to whether he would return next year but later said uncertainty was only natural at this stage of his career.
“This is all about knowing that I have only so much tennis left in me,” Federer said.
“If I do get injured, maybe if I miss next year, who knows what happens? Yeah I mean look, I’ve had a tough year last year. Three five-setters are not going to help.
“There wasn’t something planned behind it, that this is my last Australian Open. I hope can I come back, of course.”
Federer becomes the first man in history to win three differen Slams five times and extends his record as the most successful player of all time.
He also adds a notch to his rivalry with Nadal, against whom he had lost six of his previous eight grand slam finals and not won a major-tournament meeting since 2007.
“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.
“I kept on fighting. I kept on believing, like I did all match long today, that there was a possibility I could win this match.”
Federer took a medical time- outou at the start of the fifth set, justju as Nadal looked to have the momentumm behind him.
Pat Cash described it as “lega galised cheating” in commenta tary on the BBC but Federer in insisted his need was genuine.
“I felt my quad midway th through the second set already an and the groin started to hurt midway through the third set,” Federer said.
“I’m the last guy to call a medica cal timeout. So I don’t know w what he’s talking about.”
Nadal has now lost three times in the Australian Open final but the 30-year-old can take great comfort from his resurgence at this tournament.
The Spaniard will rise to No.6 when the world rankings refresh today and, after ending last season early due to a wrist problem, he looks to be rediscovering his best.
“I have big personal satisfaction,” Nadal said. “I feel happy. I played a great quality of tennis during the whole month that I have been playing. That’s great news for me.”